Tripura Chief Minister and BJP leader Manik Saha on Monday filed his nomination papers for Town Bardowali assembly constituency, in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP's northeast coordinator Sambit Patra.

“Today filed nomination as a BJP candidate from Town Bordowali seat in presence of Hon Assam CM Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma Ji, Hon Manipur CM N. Biren Singh Ji & Dr. Sambit Patra ji. Thousands of Karyakartas accompanied me before filing the nomination. I am sure that BJP will secure a spectacular win,” Saha said in a post on Twitter.

The BJP has fielded 55 candidates for the 60-seat assembly, elections for which are being held on February 16 and counting will be on March 2. Five of the remaining seats have been left for alliance partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT).

Saha, who is leading the BJP-led coalition's campaign for a return to power in Tripura, had replaced Biplab Kumar Deb as the Chief Minister in May 2022 after having won the Town Bardowali seat in a by-election.

Security was beefed up across Tripura to avoid any untoward incident on Monday, the last day of filing nomination papers for the upcoming assembly elections, a poll official said.

The Election Commission said it was expecting 300 nominations for the 60 seats. “We are hoping that returning officers will receive around 300 nominations on Monday,” Chief Electoral Officer Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said.

In the 2018 elections, the poll panel had received around 350 nomination papers, he said.

“Since the candidates will hold rallies to mark submission of their nominations, security has been tightened around Agartala and in other parts of the state to avoid any untoward incident. Besides, videography will also be done on the filing of papers," he said.

The CEO also said returning officers have already held meetings with representatives of political parties to make the process smooth and peaceful.

All the Left Front candidates have already submitted nomination papers, while nominees of ruling BJP and IPFT, and opposition Congress, Tipra Motha and TMC will file their papers during the day.

Also read:

Tripura Assembly Elections 2023: Key candidates in the fray

(Edited by : Pradeep John)

First Published:Jan 30, 2023 12:55 PM IST