By Firstdespatch Desk Jan 30, 2023
Agartala, Jan 30(FD): Chairman of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma today termed the seat sharing between the two arch rivals- Congress and CPI-M for the ensuing elections in Tripura as “an irrelevant political issue for the ruling BJP, which would secure overwhelming majority”.
Sharma, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra today accompanied Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha during his filing of nominations.
Taking a jibe at Congress and CPI-M, Sharma said, “Congress has reduced to zero in the country and CPI-M became zero in the world. So, when the two zeroes unite together, make another zero only. We have no point to take the issue of seat sharing between the two parties seriously. We are making development of the north eastern state as the main plank”.
Replying to a question, Sharma said the Tipra Motha led by state’s royal scion Pradyot Kishore Deb Barma can be a factor but the party might not gain electorally as it is fighting the elections alone.
When asked about why the talks between BJP and Tipra Motha in which Sharma had taken part had failed, he said, “We are not anyway in favour of dividing the small state like Tripura. They wanted a separate Tipraland by carving out the tribal council, which is not acceptable. We are sympathetic to the causes of tribal development and also favour empowering the tribal council, but not division of the state”.
Saha said that his party has no doubt about winning the elections with a thumping majority and development of the state is the main poll plank adding that BJP alone would form the government and its ally, IPFT will also do good in the elections.
“I have been receiving overwhelming responses from people across the state including my own assembly constituency Bordowali. People are greeting me with a smile as I’m reaching out to their doorstep”, he said.
On the last day of filing nominations, all the BJP nominees filed nominations in 55 assembly constituencies across Tripura. FD JK