BJP ally TMP sweeps Tripura village committee polls

Guwahati: Ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) swept a majority of the Village Committee seats in Tripura’s tribal areas. Election were held on September 28, with the results declared on Monday.

According to officials of the Tripura State Election Commission (TSEC), of the 4,594 seats in 587 Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), results were declared for 4,078 seats till Monday night. Of the 4,078 seats declared, TMP won 3,177 seats, while the BJP bagged 668 seats. Their other tribal-based ally, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), secured 20 seats.

The opposition CPI (M) bagged 60 seats, the Congress secured 10 seats, while Independents won 143 seats.


The TSEC official said that the counting of votes polled through ballot papers was in progress at 45 centres across the state amid tight security.

Elections were held for 2,950 seats in 587 Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).A total of 4,597 seats were notified for the elections, but 1,644 seats were won uncontested by various political parties, while nominations were not filed for three seats.

According to the TSEC, TMP won 1,557 seats uncontested, while the BJP secured 81 seats without a contest.

Reacting to the Village Committee election results, Chief Minister Manik Saha said the initial results indicated that the people’s mandate would be in favour of the BJP-led NDA, with the TMP and the IPFT as its constituents.

“We are confident the NDA is all set to secure a massive win in the elections to the Village Committees, which will be for the betterment of the state. The present government wants to ensure development in both plains and hills,” he said.

TMP supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma said, “Today’s (Monday’s) result will restore the power of the grassroots back to the tribal people.

“The long struggle in the Supreme Court which I personally fought to ensure that our constitutional rights are restored. Whichever party wins today, the most important thing is that the people have won. This is the power of Tiprasa (tribals),” he added.