The ruling BJP in Tripura has won approximately 70 per cent of the seats in the State’s three-tier panchayat system uncontested, an official from the State Election Commission (SEC) revealed.
Out of the total 6,889 panchayat seats, which include gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, and zilla parishads, the BJP secured 4,805 seats without opposition.
In the gram panchayats, BJP won 4,550 out of 6,370 seats uncontested, resulting in no elections for 71 per cent of the seats. For the remaining 1,819 gram panchayat seats where elections will occur, the BJP has candidates in 1,809 seats, while CPI(M) has candidates in 1,222 seats, and Congress in 731 seats, according to SEC Secretary Asit Kumar Das. BJP ally Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 138 seats.
Election will be postponed in one seat of Maheskhala Panchayat in West Tripura district due to the death of the BJP candidate.
In the panchayat samitis, BJP won 235 out of 423 seats uncontested, accounting for 55 per cent. Polling will be held for the remaining 188 seats. BJP has candidates in all these seats, while CPI(M) and Congress have candidates in 148 and 98 seats, respectively. Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 11 seats.
For the zilla parishads, BJP won 20 out of 116 seats uncontested, which is around 17 per cent. BJP will contest all 96 seats where polling is required, with CPI(M) and Congress fielding candidates in 81 and 76 seats, respectively.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature was July 22, and polling is scheduled for August 8. The vote count will take place on August 12.
In the previous panchayat elections, the BJP had won 96 per cent of the seats uncontested.
