NDA Unity Intact for Civic Polls, BJP Awaits Central Nod on Seat-Sharing

Agartala:: The NDA will contest the upcoming elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Tripura as a united alliance. However, seat-sharing arrangements with alliance partners Tipra Motha and IPFT have not yet been finalised and will be decided only after consultations with the BJP's central leadership. This was stated by BJP state president Biswajit Dutta while speaking to the media after a party organisational meeting on Sunday.

Dutta said the meeting held detailed discussions on strengthening the party's organisational structure, accelerating election preparations and consolidating its presence at the grassroots level, particularly at the booth level. Ministers and office-bearers from different levels of the party organisation attended the meeting. Several aspects of organisational preparations for elections to all urban local bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation, were also reviewed.

On the alliance with Tipra Motha, Dutta described the regional party as an integral part of the NDA, stating that it had been associated with the alliance since the Assembly elections. He said the BJP was positively inclined towards contesting the upcoming civic polls together while maintaining the spirit of the alliance.

"Tipra Motha is an integral part of the NDA. We will make every possible effort to uphold the spirit of the alliance. We are prepared to contest the elections together," he said.

However, Dutta clarified that no final decision had been taken regarding the number of seats or municipal areas that might be allocated to Tipra Motha. Pointing out that the BJP is a national political party, he said the state leadership could not independently take important decisions concerning seat distribution. A final arrangement would be announced only after consultations with and approval from the central leadership.

Asked whether the seat-sharing arrangement would follow a 50:50 formula, the BJP state president refrained from making any commitment. He maintained that no specific announcement could be made until the party's top leadership took a final decision.

Responding to questions about Tipra Motha's organisational strength in the hill areas and its influence in the plains, Dutta said the NDA was viewed as a united political force. He maintained that Tipra Motha's strength was also the strength of the BJP and the NDA, and that there was no need to assess the hills and plains separately in this regard.

The BJP state president also indicated that the party was positively considering allocating seats to another NDA ally, IPFT. However, the final position on this issue would also depend on discussions and decisions by the central leadership.

Regarding the announcement of the candidate list and the party's core committee meeting, Dutta said the meeting would be held shortly and could take place as early as Monday. The schedule for announcing candidates, filing nominations and conducting election-related programmes would be determined in accordance with party directives. The state leadership would coordinate with the central leadership before taking further steps.

Dutta also indicated that young people would receive special consideration during candidate selection. He said the younger generation would play a leading role in future political leadership and stressed the need to bring fresh faces into the electoral arena while also giving due importance to experienced and publicly accepted candidates.

He said preference would be given to individuals who enjoy strong acceptance in their respective wards, remain accessible to residents and regularly engage with people to understand their concerns and difficulties. Ensuring representation from different sections of society would also be an important consideration in the selection process.

Asked about the BJP's principal campaign agenda for the civic elections, Dutta identified development, law and order, and good governance as the party's central themes.

"Development, development, development, law and order, and good governance," he said, outlining the issues the party intends to highlight before voters.

With the civic elections approaching, the BJP has begun intensifying its organisational preparations while signalling its intention to contest alongside its NDA partners. However, the final seat-sharing arrangements with Tipra Motha and IPFT, candidate selection and nomination schedules remain subject to consultations with and approval from the party's central leadership.