Tripura: Left parties to contest 46 seats, Ex-CM Manik Sarkar not in fray

Agartala, Jan 27: In a significant political development, Tripura Leader of the Opposition Manik Sarkar is not contesting the 2023 assembly polls. Sarkar is among the eight sitting MLAs of the Left who had been received on several grounds.

While Deputy Leader of the Opposition Badal Chowdhury and former Minister Bhanu Lal Saha are suffering from old age ailments, Sarkar reported to have informed Politburo-the party's highest decision making body that he would now retire from Parliamentary politics.

"Despite being requested by the Politburo, party central and state committees, Sarkar did not change his decision. He will continue to work for the party's organization", CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury has said.

The eight sitting MLAs had been relieved that include: Narayan Chandra Chowdhury, MLA from Kamala Sagar constituency, Bhanu Lal Saha, former Finance Minister , Shahid Chowdhury, former sports minister, Manik Sarkar, former CM and Leader of the opposition, Badal Chowdhury, former PWD and Health Minister, Jashbir Tripura of Jolaibari assembly constituency, former Minister Tapan Chakraborty and sitting MLA Mobswar Ali of Kailashahar.

The Left Front, which has lately joined hands with the Congress for seat sharing, announced the list of candidates for 46 assembly constituencies and extended support to one independent candidate.

The principal opposition CPIM will contest from 43 candidates assembly seats while smaller Left parties like AIBF, CPI and RSP will contest in one seat each. A total of 24 new faces had been introduced by the Left Front while two female candidates are also in the fray.

CPIM state committee secretary and former Lok Sabha MP will fight the polls from Sabroom assembly constituency under South Tripura district. The Left parties have left 13 seats for the Congress party. The Congress is yet to release the list of candidates.