Tripura BJP Workers Torch Party Office in Protest Over Seat-Sharing with TIPRA Motha

CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: The disgruntled BJP workers gutted their own party office at East Ludhua in Sabroom sub-division in South Tripura district over the alleged disproportionate sharing of seats by party leaders and the allotment of a large number of seats to alliance partner TIPRA Motha in areas where the BJP has a strong hold. It is learnt that senior party leaders from the divisional headquarters rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control but have yet to yield any result.

It is learnt that the BJP performed better in the Ludhua villages during the last TTAADC election, when there was no alliance between the parties, and contributed largely to the victory in the Shilacharri-Manu Bankul seat. The party workers were confident that they would win the village seats this time as well and accordingly went to the Block office to submit their nominations, only to learn that, as part of the seat-sharing arrangement, all these seats had been allotted to TIPRA Motha. This enraged the workers, who returned to their village and burnt down the party office. They also decided to file independent candidates in all the seats and have already submitted their nominations.

There are reports of dissidence over seat-sharing in many other places, as TIPRA Motha workers who had submitted nominations earlier are refusing to withdraw from the fray. However, leaders of both parties are trying hard to convince the workers and reach an adjustment. Leaders of both parties expect that most of the workers will withdraw their nominations as per the party's decision. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is September 11.

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