AGARTALA, Jan 22 - BJP state prabhari Sunil Deodhar on Monday claimed that the party has been able to reach an electoral pact with Indigenous People�s Front of Tripura (IPFT). He, however, refused to divulge more in this regard.
�BJP and IPFT leaders, after hectic discussions, have agreed to contest the Assembly elections jointly to defeat the CPI (M)-led Left Front. Party�s national general secretary Rammadhav and election in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma were present in the discussion�, he told the media here.
Interestingly, Deodhar did not specify how many Assembly seats were offered to IPFT. He could not confirm if IPFT�s Tipraland demand was taken into consideration while finalising electoral understanding.
�We will come up with a common declaration with IPFT very shortly- probably on January 24. This will certainly clarify all the queries, including seat sharing and other activities�, he said.
Sarma, who is the party�s election in-charge of Tripura has assured all possible steps to resolve the perennial problems of the tribal people, he said. Deodhar confirmed the party is also initiating steps to bring Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) to a common anti-Left platform.
�We have already reached out to INPT leaders to finalise electoral pact with the party as the party wants to avoid split in anti-left vote bank. But things with the party have not been finalised yet�, he said.
On the candidates� list, he said state election committee has had a meeting in presence of party�s national general secretary Rammadhav and Sarma. �Constituency-wise party nominees have been shortlisted. The list will be forwarded before the party Parliamentary board for taking a final decision�, he said.
Deodhar, however, said three leaders Dr. Sarma, state and party president Biplab Deb have been authorised to make any change in the candidates� list in case of any unforeseen situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hit the party�s campaign trail in two phases. �Although tour schedule is not finalised yet, he will address three rallies in two days to intensify party�s campaign to end the Marxist misrule. Of course, party president Amit Shah will also join the party�s campaign trail�, he added.
