CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA: Security measures have been tightened as vote counting for the 587 Village Committees in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) will be conducted on Monday at 45 centers across the 44 blocks of the state. Anurag Sen, secretary to the State Election Commission, said all necessary steps have been taken to ensure peace during the counting process. He stated that security forces are already patrolling sensitive areas and conducting road marches as a confidence-building measure. The election was held on September 28.
Although the election concluded peacefully, the state experienced tension following a shootout incident in which three people, including a TIPRA Motha candidate, were injured. Police have arrested two individuals after demonstrations by TIPRA Motha, but the party claims the real culprits have not yet been brought to justice.
Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma has appealed for peace during the counting, while the CPI(M) has demanded the deployment of central forces. In a memorandum to the State Election Commissioner, the party also requested proper security for counting agents both inside and outside the counting centers.
The BJP and TIPRA Motha officially formed a last-minute alliance, but this has not been reflected at the grassroots level. In most seats, both parties fielded their own candidates, leading to serious tension. The opposition CPI(M) is also contesting the elections and is expecting a favorable outcome.
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