By Firstdespatch Desk Sep 06, 2022
Agartala, Sep 06 (FD) When the ruling BJP is in the process of selecting its candidate for the bye-elections to the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Tripura is scheduled to be held on September 22 next, the main opposition in the state, CPI-M likely to nominate former state Finance and Information Minister Bhanu Lal Saha for the polls.
Though, the ruling BJP has yet to nominate its candidate for the polls, it is very much certain that the BJP candidate will win in the September 22 elections.
According to sources in the CPI-M, Saha, who was earlier defeated to BJP candidate Dr Manik Saha, now Chief Minister of the state, in the Rajya Sabha elections held on March 31 last, would be the Left Front nominee for the polls once again.
Dr Saha who became the Rajya Sabha member had to resign from the position since he became Chief Minister of the state following resignation of Biplab Kumar Deb from the position.
According to a press note released by ECI, the last date of nomination submission will be September 12.
The nominations will be scrutinized on September 13 (Tuesday) while last day for withdrawal of the nomination will be September 15.
The election will be held from 9 am to 4 pm on September 22 and counting will be done on the same day at 5 pm.
The entire process will end on September 26.
The ECI took special note of the Covid related cautions and asked the Chief Secretary to depute a senior officer ensure all Covid protocols and arrangements are put in place while making arrangements for conducting the polls.
The ruling BJP has total strength of 36 MLAs along with its ally -- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura which has 8 MLAs – which is combined strength of 44 MLAs in the 60 member house while the opposition CPI-M has 15 MLAs.
The lone Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, according to the party sources, likely to support the CPI-M led Left Front nominee in the RS polls. FD PD JK