Opposition communist party of India (marxist) (cpm) on Tuesday announced the final list of 27 candidates for the elections to tripura tribal areas autonomous district council (ttadc), with the first round of polling scheduled to take place soon. According to opposition leader jitendra chaudhury, the cpm has fielded all 28 candidates from the council, and will now go into the fray to win back political power in the tribal heartlands of tripura.
At a press conference held in agartala, the capital city of tripura, leader of the opposition jitendra chaudhury said the coming election would be a defining moment in determining the future of indigenous populations in tripura. He added that the election would not just be a political fight, but a crucial battle to save the land, language and culture of the tribal population of the state.
“We are fighting to preserve the rights of the indigenous people over their land, language and cultural identity,” chaudhury said, announcing the names of the 27 candidates fielded by the cpm.
For the cpm, which currently holds no seats in the 28 member council, this election will be a major test of the party’s strength in the tribal areas of the state, and whether they can regain political footing in the region. The ttaadc is instrumental in formulating development policies for the tribal-dominated regions of the state, and therefore the election to the council will have significant implications for the welfare of the tribal population.
During the announcement of the candidates, chaudhury also made a scathing attack on the ruling alliance of the bharatiya janata party (bjp) and tipra motha party. He accused the ruling alliance of using its powers to misuse the autonomy granted to the council, and thereby putting the very existence and rights of the tribal community at stake.
He further stated that the council was originally formed to safeguard the interests of the tribals and to ensure development in the indigenous areas. However, he said that the present administration had failed to do so.
The CPM has a lot of young people on their candidate list. The party says than 70 percent of the candidates have never been in politics before. This is a move by the CPM to get new leaders and connect with people at the local level.
People who watch politics think that putting candidates on the list may help the CPM get more support especially from young people in tribal areas.
Now the CPM is going up against the BJP and Tipra Motha alliance, which’s very strong in the tribal council areas. The election is going to be very competitive as parties try to get the support of communities.
The CPM is also putting a candidate in the Dharmanagar Assembly by-election, which shows they are getting ready for a challenge in the state.
The CPM still has to announce one candidate and the campaign is going to get more intense soon. The election for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council is going to be a test, for the CPM and all the other parties.
