Elections for the Tripura West Lok Sabha in 2024: State Congress President vs. Former Chief Minister

There are two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura, one of which is Tripura West. Agartala, the state capital, is included. Since Pratima Bhowmik, the incumbent MP, was elected to the Legislative Assembly, the seat is presently empty. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is dominant in 18 of the 30 Assembly segments in the parliamentary seat, while the Congress and CPI (M) are less prevalent. In the state Assembly, the Left is represented by five segments, while the Congress has two Assembly seats. Phase I voting will take place in the constituency on April 19.

Present MP: Seat Unoccupied (BJP’s Pratima Bhowmik won in 2019)

Asish Kumar Saha (Congress), Biplab Kumar Deb (BJP) are the candidates.

DYNAMICS POLITICAL

The BJP is ahead: After defeating the CPI (M) in the 2018 assembly elections and ending 25 years of Left-led uninterrupted government in the Northeastern state, the BJP has grown into a powerful political force in Tripura.

Rather of putting incumbent MP Bhowmik back in the race, the BJP has put former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb forward. This was to be anticipated, as Deb is credited with being a major reason why the BJP won a landslide majority in the 2018 Assembly elections. But because to strong factionalism and dissatisfaction with his leadership, Deb resigned as chief minister in 2022, and Manik Saha took over right away. Deb has held organizational positions in the BJP ever since.

Deb is still well-liked in Tripura even though he hasn’t been involved in politics for a while, particularly among the younger generation, who were the BJP’s most unified and vociferous support base in 2018.

The saffron party has been leveraging Deb’s popularity by doing door-to-door campaigning. Hundreds of teenage motorcyclists participated in a youth bike rally that the BJP and its youth wing recently organized in Agartala.

With the support of the CPI (M), the Congress candidate has a noticeable advantage against the BJP. Significantly, Amit Shah, the home minister, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have chosen to run for office in Tripura. This is probably due to the fact that the state is in the Northeast and the saffron party wants to demonstrate that it gives the state equal consideration in both political campaigns and governing.

The Modi factor and “Modi Ki Guarantee” continue to be the key electoral platforms for the BJP in Tripura. The BJP cadre and leaders are reminding people that they are casting their ballots in a national election where PM Modi is a candidate during their door-to-door campaigns across the state. The phrase being spread is, “Every vote for the BJP is a vote for Modi.”

Arun Chandra Bhowmik, a prominent figure in Tripuran politics, defected to the Congress before of the election. Following his victory in the South Tripura district during the 2018 Assembly elections, Bhowmik felt ignored by the BJP, which contributed to his unhappiness, which led to his choice.

Although it seems obvious that the BJP would win Tripura West, the CPI-Congress alliance is still a formidable rival. Even the BJP admits that the battle in Tripura is more complicated than it may seem to an outsider. For instance, Chief Minister Manik Saha said that the CPI (M) has sympathizers and followers since it controlled the state for 25 years, from 1993 to 2018, after originally ruling for ten years, from 1978 to 1988.

There is context for the BJP’s caution. The Congress defeated the Saffron Party in the assembly bypolls held in Agartala and Banamalipur, for instance. Furthermore, the CPI (M) saw an increase in its vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from 17.5% to 24.62% in the assembly polls held last year. The party’s relationship with Congress is attributed to this increase.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the BJP is now indicating that the state administration may revisit instances of political killings that were purportedly carried out under the regimes of the former Left Front after the Lok Sabha elections are completed. According to the BJP, there have been 69 political killings in the South Tripura area alone in the thirty years leading up to 2018. The BJP wants to remind people of the brutality that Tripura was known for in previous decades, which is why they are bringing up the subject of political killings.

This time, the BJP has a strong ally in Tripura in the shape of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), which emerged as the main opposition in the state after the most recent Assembly votes. The TMP, which partnered with the BJP in March, will provide the saffron party with a sizable number of tribal votes. After the incumbent BJP, the TMP emerged as the second biggest party in the 2023 Assembly elections after fielding 42 independent candidates. Out of the twenty seats allotted for tribal constituencies, it was able to capture thirteen.

The BJP, bolstered by new partners, is widely expected to hold Tripura West, but the Congress-Left alliance is still trying to pull off a surprise here. The INDI Alliance hopes for a miracle.

Asish Kumar Saha, the president of the State Congress, is also participating in the fight against Deb from the BJP. Saha is, incidentally, one of the MLAs who objected to Deb. This was prior to his joining the Congress before the Assembly elections of the previous year, when he was still a member of the BJP. Saha previously ran and won in the 2013 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket. Before joining the BJP, he switched to the TMC. For Saha, running for office on a Congress ticket from Tripura West represents a kind of “return to the mother ship.” According to ground reports, Saha is thought of as a politician with a spotless record.

A day before PM Modi’s campaign stop in Agartala, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke at a public gathering and conducted a roadshow as part of the carefully orchestrated Congress campaign in the state.

Along with its partner CPI (M), the Congress is primarily contacting its followers in an effort to pressure Deb into resigning as chief minister. Deb was ousted from office because, according to the Congress, he was unable to manage the Tripura state government. In addition to criticizing Deb, supporters of the INDI Alliance are bringing up concerns about inflation, unemployment, and a purported danger to the Constitution.

It’s interesting to note that if the Congress had been successful in courting the TMP, the INDI Alliance in Tripura would have grown and strengthened. Sudip Roy Barman, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), has accused TMP leader Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma of “playing with the sentiments of tribals.” Barman was seen at a recent meeting with Debbarma to discuss forging a bigger anti-BJP coalition.

Jitendra Chaudhury, secretary of the CPI (M) in Tripura, has accused Dr. Vishal Kumar, the West Tripura District Magistrate and Returning Officer, of being biased against the BJP-led government.

ESSENTIAL ISSUE
Kokborok: The forced adoption of the Bengali alphabet over their own Kokborok language has angered the tribal inhabitants of Tripura. They have been insisting on using the Roman script for years because they believe it is essential to maintaining their culture and enhancing education. The latest train and road blockades reached a breaking point and made the administration finally pay attention.

Political violence: A legacy of violence and intimidation has tarnished Tripura’s political environment. The Communists were charged with years of using these strategies to hold onto power. Now that the BJP is in power, the roles have reversed, and the CPI is accusing them of the same things (M).

Reopening of past cases: It has become popular in Tripura to reopen past political murder cases. In an effort to attract support as defenders of justice, the BJP seeks to reveal the violent history of the Left Front. But for the Left, it’s just another nasty technique to ruin their image and take the focus off real issues. Reopening these ancient wounds might exacerbate already existing tensions and undermine Left efforts to win back public confidence. It’s a high-stakes power move with possibly disastrous outcomes. These historical examples would also impact the compassion that the Left seeks to win over people.

Water problems: The Reang people of Tripura, especially those residing in the remote hamlet of Adi Debendra Para, have long-standing, acute water shortages. They have been obtaining their fundamental needs from streams and springs, which are natural water sources, for millennia. But in the summer, these sources can dry up entirely and become polluted during the monsoon, which leads to waterborne illnesses including diarrhea and dysentery.

Political leaders have made several pleas and promises, yet the town is still neglected by the government, depriving it of basic utilities like piped water. Women are disproportionately affected by this ongoing water shortage since they are required to undertake strenuous hikes down steep mountain paths in order to get water, spending hours each day on this essential task.

Lack of alternatives exacerbates the issue by compelling the locals to drink contaminated water, endangering their health. The problem has become worse since there hasn’t been any government action or infrastructure development.

Human-wildlife conflict: The main source of human-wildlife conflict in Tripura is wild elephants, particularly in the Teliamura area. The frequent contacts between people and these enormous animals are a consequence of the growing encroachment of human settlements and agricultural activities into elephant habitats. These conflicts usually result in casualties as well as damage to property and agriculture.

Local populations have experienced fear and worry as a result of elephants damaging houses and injuring or killing humans. Beekeeping, planting elephant feed in forests, and the suggested use of radio collars to track the movements of elephants are among the initiatives being taken to lessen the assaults. These initiatives haven’t exactly been a huge success, however.

Indigenous population: In order to preserve their identity and way of life, Tripura’s indigenous people, who feel marginalized and outnumbered as a result of migration from Bangladesh, have been calling for the creation of a new state called “Greater Tipraland.” The government and Tipra Motha have come to an agreement to address the issues of the indigenous community of Tripura. It recognizes the need for answers regarding land rights, political representation, economic growth, and cultural preservation, even if it doesn’t openly endorse “Greater Tipraland.” Some see it as a pre-election ploy, and doubts persist over its efficacy and execution.

Food shortage: The hilly regions of Tripura have a food problem every dry season. This reoccurring issue is brought on by declining rainfall, restrictions on conventional farming, and inadequate infrastructure. Forced into settled farmland, tribal groups fight for independence. Discontent simmers because militants block access and the government provides little assistance. This might shift elections in favor of parties like the BJP, which, as seen by the most recent tripartite accord, promises remedies for tribal rights and food security.

DEMOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION NA

INDICA DEVELOPMENT
Agartala Smart City: Of the 65 projects that have been started under Agartala Smart City Projects Limited, 57 have been finished, while 8 are now being implemented. One of the major initiatives within the CITIIS project is the “Haora Riverfront Development Project,” which has a total estimated cost of Rs 99 crore. As of right now, work is ongoing, and the total cost until March is Rs 53.54 crore. The Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC), infrastructure development for flood-prone regions, and flood control and monitoring systems are other major initiatives carried out under the Agartala Smart City Mission.

Village Roads: In 2020, a single state district saw the completion of a 127-kilometer brick village road construction project in only 72 hours. In the West Tripura district, 440 brick soling roads were built as part of this mission style project, mostly in isolated locations.

Four-lane Agartala bypass: Building a four-lane Agartala bypass that connects NH-8 (near Amtali) to NH-108B (near Lembuchhera) would cost a total of Rs 2,026.05 crore.

Feni Bridge: The 1.9-kilometer Maitri Setu bridge was jointly opened in March 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. The construction of this bridge spans the Feni River, which separates Bangladesh from the Indian state of Tripura.

Road Network Extension: One of the state’s top goals for the BJP administration has been enhancing road connectivity. The administration unveiled a comprehensive plan to expand roads spanning 134 kilometers in January. This infrastructure project will improve access to transportation, which will boost the local economy and forge closer relationships. The project’s main components include building new highways, enlarging old ones, and putting contemporary infrastructure solutions in place to guarantee dependability and effectiveness.

Churaibari-Agartala NH-08: National Highway 8 connects Sabroom in Tripura with Karimganj in Assam. This expressway, which will have four lanes, is being built for Rs 3,233 crore.

Medical Infrastructure: As part of the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for the North Eastern Region, the government has decided to establish a 200-bed multi-care hospital at the Govind Ballabh Pant and Agartala Government Medical College. The facility is expected to cost Rs. 192 crore. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for the North Eastern Region, an integrated rehabilitation center for drug abusers in the Sepahijala district is scheduled to open shortly, with an estimated cost of Rs 89.90 crore.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Janajati Adivasi Nyay Maja Abhiyan, the state has committed to electrifying all villages, especially those that are home to particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), at a projected cost of Rs 69.12 crore in 2024–2025.

The Agartala-Akhaura International Railway was essentially opened on November 1st by Prime Minister Modi and Sheikh Hasina (in Bangladesh). The ports of Bangladesh will be accessible to the states in the Northeast via this route. The much anticipated initiative will support Bangladeshi and Northeastern Indian business and connectivity.