Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Tripura Pradesh and CPM have announced respective party nominees for the lone Rajya Sabha seats on Friday for which election will be held on March 31 next. Counting will be held on the same day.
Ending all the speculations, BJP has nominated party’s State president Dr Manik Saha for the Rajya Seat from Tripura. The Opposition party in Tripura, CPM named incumbent MLA and former Minister Bhanu Lal Saha as the party’s candidate.
The last date of nomination filling is March 21 next. The scrutiny of the notifications will be conducted on March 22 and the last date of withdrawal of candidates is March 24 next.
The lone RS seat from Tripura will fall vacant after the term of the incumbent CPM MP Jharna Das Baidya expires in April 4 next.
Meantime, Grapevines were busy in guessing possible candidates for the saffron party for the last several weeks. Speculations were flying high and new names as BJP’s probable candidates for the RS Seat started floating on daily basis. However, with the declaration, rumour mills will get a chance to enjoy a colourful Holi.
Sources said, a list of several names prospective candidates was handed over to BJP high command – however, the saffron party leaders picked up Dr Saha.
Dr Manik Saha joined BJP in 2017. He succeeded Biplab Kumar Deb after the latter took oath as the Chief Minister of Tripura in 2018. He is an eminent Agartala based maxillofacial surgeon.
CPM nominated Bhanu Lal Saha is an MLA who contested from Bishalgarh Assembly Constituency in 2018 Assembly polls. He discharged Ministerial responsibilities during Manik Sarkar led Left government.
In the current 60 seat Tripura Assembly, ruling BJP-IPFT alliance has 40 MLAs – after two MLAs resigned and one was disqualified in Anti-defection Act. Moreover, both Lok Sabha MPs belong to BJP.
As Rajya Sabha candidate is being elected through the voting of MPs and MLAs, the Opposition CPM has no chance of, even, putting up a formidable fight against the BJP nominated candidate.
