Reported by Mrinal Kanti Banik
Agartala: The BJP has announced candidates for 45 of the 51 wards in the upcoming Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections, introducing 19 new faces while keeping six seats undecided. The party released its first list on Tuesday night and is expected to announce the remaining candidates on Wednesday.
In a notable development, sitting Mayor Dipak Majumder has not been included in the candidate list. The decision follows the BJP’s national policy of not nominating sitting legislators for leadership positions in urban local bodies. However, Majumder will lead the party’s election campaign in Agartala, state BJP president Abhishek Debroy said.
Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters, Debroy said Majumder had served as mayor for the past five years and would continue to play an important role in the party’s electoral campaign.
He said the BJP had decided not to field sitting MLAs for the positions of mayors or chairpersons of municipal corporations, municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats. The policy, adopted at the national level, is being implemented in the selection of candidates for the civic polls, he added.
According to Debroy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Manik Saha, former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Majumder will lead the BJP’s campaign in Agartala.
Outlining the candidate selection process, Debroy said the party had prioritised grassroots-level organisational workers, including pristha pramukhs, booth presidents and Shakti Kendra pramukhs. Women and young candidates, particularly those in the 20–40 age group, have also been given opportunities, alongside professionals such as doctors, advocates, retired teachers and engineers.
The party has replaced several candidates who contested the previous municipal elections. Explaining the changes, Debroy cited reservation-related adjustments, age factors and organisational considerations. He said the selection process involved consultations and scrutiny at various levels, including the party’s central leadership.
The BJP is yet to finalise candidates for six wards, including Ward 12. Debroy said the remaining names would be announced on Wednesday. Candidate lists for other municipalities and Nagar Panchayats across the state would also be released through party notice boards.
On the question of who would become the next mayor, Debroy said the party would not announce a prospective candidate before the elections and would take a decision after the results.
Regarding the BJP’s electoral understanding with Tipra Motha, Debroy said the party had agreed to offer three seats to its ally across Tripura but did not disclose the constituencies.
BJP candidates are scheduled to file their nomination papers on November 4 and 5.