BJP to retain power with more seats: CM

Day after the conclusion of polling process, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha expressed his confidence that BJP will return to power by getting abosulute majority.

 He said that assembly election 2023 was conducted in a peaceful manner and it is best one seen in the history of the state, said Chief Minister  during a press conference at his official residence on Friday.

 He said  BJP will be able to return to power in the state without having to forge any new alliance.

The party has tied-up with regional outfit Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) for the polls.

 Saha exuded confidence that the BJP will perform better than what it did in the last elections.

Amid speculation that the Tipra Motha may emerge as the kingmaker in case no party wins absolute majority, Saha said that is not a possibility. The BJP alone will win absolute majority in the 60-member assembly and they do believe that the party will win more seats this time and the party will need no help from Tipra Motha, said Dr Saha.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP  had won 36 seats, while its ally IPFT bagged 8 seats and the CPI(M) 16. The Congress failed to open its account.

Asked about IPFT's prospects, he said, BJP have left five seats to them. It is up to them to say how many seats they are hoping to clinch this election. He asserted that Tripura, for the first time, witnessed a violence- and malpractice-free election and  people were seen exercising their democratic rights without any trouble, he said.

Alleging that the CPI(M) and the Congress had tried to create trouble on the day of polling, Saha claimed that BJP leaders and workers, showed patience and peacefully handled the situation.

Asked about the allegation of irregularities by party candidate from Golaghati constituency, Hemani Debbarma, Saha said, "Let the matter be checked first. If the claim is genuine, re-poll could be sought."