Elections to the three-tier Gram Panchayats in Tripura will be held on August 8 and votes will be counted on August 12.
State election commissioner Saradindu Chaudhuri, who announced the election schedule here on Wednesday, said the formal legal notification was issued on Thursday, with the last date for filing nominations being July 18 and counting the next day. The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is July 22.
Congress leader Birajit Sinha said that like last year's Assembly elections, his party would forge an electoral alliance with Left parties led by the CPI-M to defeat the ruling BJP in maximum numbers. of seats.
Meanwhile, state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha and Congress Working Committee member and MLA Sudip Roy Barman on Thursday alleged that ruling BJP 'goons' have been attacking their Congress candidates and supporters since Panchayat election date was announced on Wednesday. They claimed that tensions are rising ahead of the Panchayat elections as the ruling BJP, having failed to fulfill its many promises to the people, lacks a substantial voter base and is resorting to violence to instill fear and manipulate the outcome of rural elections.
However, Congress leaders promised that the party would make every effort to prevent these unfair tactics and ensure that its candidates can contest the elections fairly.
"We have witnessed an unprecedented wave of violence and intimidation against our supporters and candidates by BJP goons and activists," Saha said, adding: "This is a blatant attempt by the ruling party to undermine the democratic process and intimidate to opposition candidates."
In the previous Panchayat elections held on July 27, 2019, the ruling BJP had won over 95 per cent of the seats, of which 86 per cent were won unopposed, sparking protests by opposition parties. . Opposition parties have been demanding holding panchayat elections with maximum security and allowing submission of nomination applications through email.
There are 6,370 seats in 606 Gram Panchayats, 423 seats in 35 Panchayat Samitis and 116 seats in eight Zilla Parishads, with 33 per cent reservation for women.
State election commissioner Saradindu Chaudhuri, who announced the election schedule here on Wednesday, said the formal legal notification was issued on Thursday, with the last date for filing nominations being July 18 and counting the next day. The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is July 22.
Congress leader Birajit Sinha said that like last year's Assembly elections, his party would forge an electoral alliance with Left parties led by the CPI-M to defeat the ruling BJP in maximum numbers. of seats.
Meanwhile, state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha and Congress Working Committee member and MLA Sudip Roy Barman on Thursday alleged that ruling BJP 'goons' have been attacking their Congress candidates and supporters since Panchayat election date was announced on Wednesday. They claimed that tensions are rising ahead of the Panchayat elections as the ruling BJP, having failed to fulfill its many promises to the people, lacks a substantial voter base and is resorting to violence to instill fear and manipulate the outcome of rural elections.
However, Congress leaders promised that the party would make every effort to prevent these unfair tactics and ensure that its candidates can contest the elections fairly.
"We have witnessed an unprecedented wave of violence and intimidation against our supporters and candidates by BJP goons and activists," Saha said, adding: "This is a blatant attempt by the ruling party to undermine the democratic process and intimidate to opposition candidates."
In the previous Panchayat elections held on July 27, 2019, the ruling BJP had won over 95 per cent of the seats, of which 86 per cent were won unopposed, sparking protests by opposition parties. . Opposition parties have been demanding holding panchayat elections with maximum security and allowing submission of nomination applications through email.
There are 6,370 seats in 606 Gram Panchayats, 423 seats in 35 Panchayat Samitis and 116 seats in eight Zilla Parishads, with 33 per cent reservation for women.
