Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to lead Left Front campaign in Tripura municipal election

A correspondent

Agartala, November 24 : Despite an early lead in the forthcoming Municipal elections by winning 19 seats uncontested, gaining majority in two gar Panchayats, the ruling Left Front is leaving no stone unturned to record an unprecedented victory. The four party alliance is fielding their best bat the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to raise a storm in the campaign.

Apart from the Agartala Municipal Corporation, election will be held in 12 Municipal Councils and six gar Panchayats on December 9, most of which are witnessing a three corner contest between the Left Front, the Congress and the BJP. There will be no election in Jirania Municpal Council as CPI(M) won all the 11 seats uncontested. In the 11 member Amarpur Municipal Council, the Left Front got majority by winning six seats uncontested and election will be held only for the rest five seats.

Left Front sources said no leader from outside the state is coming for the election and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who is also a CPI(M) Polit Bureau member is going to be their face in the campaign. He will address 24 meetings across the state out of which 12 will be in Agartala. He said maximum stress is given in Agartala Municipal Corporation as it is known for a contrast electoral outcome. The AMC is currently run by the Left Front with a massive majority but four out of the five MLA’s in the city belongs to Congress.

Apart from the Left Front, the Congress and the BJP is contesting all the 49 seats in the AMC which gives a tural advantage to the ruling party. The local leaders of the Congress are trying hard to make an impact in the campaign by addressing small meeting, visiting door to door with their candidates but are match the massive organisatiol efforts of the CPI(m). The leader of the opposition Sudip Roy Barman, however, alleged that in many areas their workers could not move freely as the ruling party has unleashed a ring of terror.

The Bharatiya Jata Party is trying to bring union minister Smriti Irani and the West Bengal leader and film star Rupa Ganguly for campaigning but yet to get any response from the central leadership. However, the state BJP president Sudhindra Dasgupta said their workers are going door to door and getting good response from the voters.