Agartala, September 11: Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Friday expressed confidence that the BJP, IPFT and Tipra Motha Party (TMP) will contest the upcoming Village Committee elections together as part of the NDA alliance.
Speaking to reporters on various issues, Saha said committees from the alliance partners are already holding discussions on seat-sharing and other election-related matters. He described the talks as positive so far.
The Chief Minister said discussions on an alliance had also taken place last year, including meetings with alliance partners in New Delhi, but the process did not move forward at the time. He noted that alliance arrangements often change ahead of elections in different states.
“This time, discussions are focused on contesting the elections together with NDA partners, and preparations are proceeding accordingly,” Saha said. He added that the seat-sharing arrangement had not yet been finalised and the matter was expected to become clearer after the ongoing discussions.
According to Saha, committees representing the BJP, IPFT and TMP have been formed and are discussing seat-sharing and other aspects of the electoral strategy. Meetings continued until Thursday night, he said.
On the number of seats to be contested by each party, the Chief Minister said no final decision had been taken. The details would emerge after the committees complete their discussions.
Asked whether the alliance partners would campaign together, Saha said the decision would depend on the final understanding among the parties. The alliance committees would take the final call on the campaign strategy, he said.
Saha also spoke about road and communication problems in different parts of the state. He stressed the need for urgent repairs to damaged roads, particularly those currently unsuitable for vehicular movement.
The Chief Minister said some technical factors need to be considered before carrying out road repair work. At the same time, he stressed the need to complete necessary repairs quickly to reduce public hardship and said instructions had been issued accordingly.
