2022 BY-ELECTION: DRESS REHEARSAL FOR 2023 ASSEMBLY ELECTION

The 2022 by-elections in Tripura are being deemed a dress rehearsal for the 2023 assembly elections, with all major political parties eager to prove their strength. The Bharatiya Janata Party did not lose any elections after 2018 barring the TTAADC elections and put all efforts into continuing its winning streak. On the other hand, the Congress that is rebounding with the arrival of senior leaders like Sudip Roy Barman and Asish Saha in the party fold also wants to retain its traditional strongholds. For CPIM also, it’s a fight to make a comeback in its old space long lost, and fledgling TIPRA is looking forward to a scope to shine bright, expanding its footprints in non-tribal regions.

- Abhijit Nath

With the announcement in the last week of May 2022, a by-election is taking place in 6-Agartala and 8-Town Bardowali assembly constituency under West Tripura district, 46-Surma assembly constituency under Dhalai district and 57-Yubarajnagar assembly constituency under North Tripura district. The byelection is taking place as BJP MLAs Sudip Roy Barman, and Asish Kumar Saha of the 6-Agartala and 8-Town Bardowali assembly constituencies tendered their resignation to Speaker Ratan Chakraborty in the first week of February last. Another BJP MLA, Asis Das of 46-Surma assembly constituency, was disqualified for anti-party activities in January last, while CPIM MLA and former Speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath of 57-Jubarajnagar passed away. In the fray, six candidates from 6-Agartala seats, seven from 8-Town Bardowali, six from the 46-Surma seat and five from the 57-Jubarajnagar seat. A total of 1,88,854 electorates are eligible to exercise their democratic rights comprising 95,283 female and 93,567 male voters. Among these four assembly constituencies, the highest number of electors is in 6-Agartala, 51,639. In contrast, in 8-Town Bardowali, the electoral numbers are 46,583, in 46-Surma 47,289 voters and 57-Jubarajnagar, the numbers of voters are 43,373. The polling is on June 23 counting is on June 26.