CPI-M veterans including Manik Sarkar, not likely to contest election-2023

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Jan 03, 2023

Agartala, Jan 3 (FD): The opposition CPI-M, which is confident of storming back to power after it finalizes alliance congress by ending the saffron rule in Tripura is likely to put-up new and younger candidates in the state elections slated for next month.

Party sources said that the veteran leaders like Manik Sarkar, sitting MLAs and former ministers Tapan Chakraborty and Bhanulal Saha and Badal Chowdhury are likely to opt out of electoral contest in favour of new and younger faces. The former power minister and CITU leader Manik Dey is also reluctant to fight the elections. However, the final decisions would be taken by the party.

It was reliably known that Sarkar had already communicated to the CPI (M) politburo about his reluctance to contest the assembly elections again because of his old age and leave the space for young leaders.

The issue would be discussed in the state committee meeting to be held at Melarmath party office on January 10 and then to be discussed in the Central Committee meeting in Calcutta from January 28 to 30.

The leaders like Badal Chowdhury, Bhanu Lal Saha and Tapan Chakraborty are suffering of old age and same is the power minister Manik De.

By all likelihood, party’s incumbent state unit Secretary, Jiten Chowdhury is to be projected as the new Chief Ministerial candidate in the next elections.

Now it remains to be seen what comes out after the   Central Committee meeting in Calcutta from January 28 to 30. FD JK