In a significant development of opposition politics in Tripura, the opposition parties including Tipra-Motha, CPI (M) and Congress have unanimously decided to contest September 5th by-elections in Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly constituencies unitedly against ruling BJP.

A crucial meeting of the top leaders of all three political parties including leader of the opposition, Animesh Debbarma (Tipra-Motha), CPI (M) state secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury, two senior CPI(M) leaders and former minister Manik Dey, Ratan Bhowmik, Pradesh Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha and two Congress MLAs Gopal Chandra Roy and Sudip Roy Barman on Saturday met to strategize for the by-polls to avoid the split of the anti-BJP votes.

The meeting was held at the assembly office of Jitendra Chaudhury and all three opposition parties decided to fight the by-polls jointly.

Later, speaking with media persons Pradesh Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha said that their main intention is to ensure the defeat of ruling BJP in coming by-polls and stop the split opposition votes.

 He said that Pradesh Congress leaders will visit Sonamura on Sunday and will hold discussions with local party leaders over the decisions. He hoped, similarly, other parties would discuss their local leaders.

Saha said that after detailed discussion over the present political situation of Tripura, the Tipra-Motha, CPI(M) and Congress have unanimously decided to fight the by-polls jointly to ensure defeat of BJP.

While, opposition CPI (M) sources said that as per the decision of leaders of the three opposition parties, CPI(M) will declare the candidate names for both Boxanagar and Dhanpur seats on Sunday afternoon during a press conference.

Following the meeting, leader of opposition Animesh Debbarma of the Tipra Motha speaking with media persons said a preliminary discussion was held on the by-polls.

“Today, we held a preliminary discussion with CPI (M) and Congress on the upcoming by-elections. Our main intention is to avoid a split of anti-BJP votes,” said Debbarma.

Debbarma said the result of the assembly election, held in February, was not as per their expectations even as the BJP secured less than 40 per cent votes. “We don’t want to repeat the same in the by-elections. I have heard the views of both CPI (M) and Congress, and will place them before our leadership for taking a final call on it,” he said. He also said that Tipra-Motha wants to ensure a one-on-one fight in the by-elections in accordance with the will of the people.

It may be recalled here that By-elections for two assembly constituencies of Tripura including 20-Boxanagar and 23-Dhanpur in Sepahijala district will be held on September 5th next and counting of polled votes will be conducted on September 8th.

The Dhanpur seat fell vacant after the resignation of Union Minister of state, Smt Pratima Bhowmik and the Boxanagar seat remained vacant after the death of CPI(M)'s Boxanagar MLA  Samsul Haque in July this year.

As per the poll schedules, the date of issue of Gazette notification issued  on August 10th, last date of making nominations is August 17. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on August 18 and the last date for withdrawal is August 21.

On March 15, 2023, the union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Pratima Bhowmik who was elected in the 2023 assembly elections from Dhanpur assembly constituency in Sonamura subdivision bid an emotional farewell to her electors after submitting her resignation from the assembly.  She submitted her resignation to continue her MP status.

In the assembly elections, Smt Pramita Bhowmik secured a total of 19,148 votes and defeated her rival candidate Kaushik Chanda of CPI (M) 3,500 votes. CPI (M) candidate got 15,648 votes, while, Tipra-Motha candidate Amiya Dayal Noatia got 8,671 votes, which has played a crucial role to lose the strong bastion of CPI (M), which was represented by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

The by-elections have been necessitated after senior CPI (M) leader and sitting MLA from Boxanagar assembly constituency, Samsul Haque breathed his last after he suffered a cardiac arrest in the wee hours July 19, 2023 last.  In the 2023 assembly elections, Haque secured a total of 19,404 votes and defeated his nearest rival BJP candidate Taffajal Hossan by 4,849 votes. Taffajal Hossan secured 14,555 votes.