Ruling BJP candidates submitted nomination papers on Thursday – the last day of nomination submission – for the by-polls in Dhanpur and Boxanagar Assembly Constituencies slated to be held on September 5 next.
BJP nominated contenders Bindu Debnath from Dhanpur and Taffajal Hossain from Boxanagar, backed by an impressive start-studded gathering of Ministers, leaders and activists today.
Notably, BJP’s main Opponent CPIM fielded Kaushik Chanda from Dhanpur and Mizan Hossain from Boxanagar. Both submitted their nominations on Wednesday.
The by-polls were necessitated in the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies due to the resignation of Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Pratima Bhowmik, as a BJP legislator from the Dhanpur seat, and the death of CPIM legislator Samsul Haque from the Boxanagar seat last month.
Bindu Debnath, the BJP hopeful for the Dhanpur assembly seat, conveyed optimism about securing victory with a substantial majority of votes.
In an interaction with reporters after submitting his nomination papers to the Returning Officer ADM Jayanta Dey, the BJP candidate expressed his strong faith in the party’s workers and the electorate.
Having served as the BJP Dhanpur mandal president, Bindu Debnath represents a fresh face handpicked by the party leadership for contesting from Dhanpur.
He went on to express hope that indigenous voters, who were previously divided along political lines, would recognize the need to align with the ruling party and lend their support to his candidacy. Debnath pledged to improve infrastructure and address the constituents’ demands if elected as an MLA.
Meanwhile, Taffajal Hossain, the BJP candidate vying for the Boxanagar seat, submitted his nomination to the Sr Deputy Collector Bhaswar Bhattacharjee, amidst cheers of an enthusiastic group of party leaders, workers and supporters.
Taffajal Hossain tasted defeat in the 2023 assembly elections at the hands of CPIM veteran Samsul Haque. However, with Haque’s untimely demise, the assembly constituency is now open for contest once again.
Taffajal Hossain exuded confidence in his potential victory, underscoring the differences between the 2023 assembly elections and the upcoming by-polls.
“Whatever be the results of the by-polls, there is no prospect of CPIM regaining power in Tripura, but a victory of BJP will ensure more developmental and welfare initiatives in Boxanagar,” affirmed Taffajal Hossain.
He criticized previous CPIM representatives from the Boxanagar seat for their alleged lack of action for improving the constituency. Hossain emphasized that voters were discerning and would not be swayed by sympathy votes. He pointed out that the CPIM candidate, Mizan Hossain, was unlikely to benefit from his father’s legacy.
Taffajal Hossain vowed to transform Boxanagar’s landscape within the next 4.5 years, a promise he asserted CPIM had been unable to fulfil over the past three decades.
As per the District Magistrate of Sepahijala District, the Dhanpur seat has received nominations from 1 BJP candidate, 1 CPIM candidate, and 3 Independent candidates. Meanwhile, in the Boxanagar seat 1 BJP candidate, 1 CPIM candidate, and 2 Independent candidates filed nominations for the impending by-polls.
Among those accompanying the candidates as they filed their nominations were MoS Pratima Bhowmik, Minister for Agriculture Ratan Lal Nath, Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Tinku Roy, Minister for Cooperation Shukla Charan Noatia, State BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee, and several State Ministers and leaders.