AGARTALA, March 30 - Tripura is all set to witness multi-corner electoral battles in the two Lok Sabha constituencies as altogether 23 candidates remain in the fray.
A total of 13,17,150 electors will decide the fate of 13 contestants in the electoral battle for West Tripura Parliamentary seat while as many as 12,55,880 voters will determine the electoral fortune of 10 candidates in the East Tripura Lok Sabha seat.
Although there are several candidates in both Parliamentary constituencies, the electoral battle will primarily be confined among four parties � BJP, Left Front, Congress and IPFT. In East Tripura Lok Sabha seat, the battle will be exciting as IPFT supremo NC Debbarma, who is also Revenue Minister in the BJP-IPFT coalition government, is in the race.
Keeping in mind the tribal votes, the Congress has fielded Pragya Debbarman, who is the sister of PCC president and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman in East Tripura Lok Sabha seat. And, the sitting MP Jitendra Chowdhury, who is also in the race, may spring a surprise, if tribal vote bank of BJP and IPFT that had consolidated in the last Assembly elections is divided. The poll in the constituency is scheduled for April 18.
In West Tripura Parliamentary seat, the battle will be among BJP�s nominee Pratima Bhowmik, Congress candidate Subal Bhowmik and Left Front aspirant Sankar Prasad Datta. IPFT candidate Brishaketu Debbarma may not be a factor in the electoral battle for the prestigious seat.
Candidates for West Tripura seat include Pratima Bhowmik (BJP), Subal Bhowmik (Cong), Sankar Prasad (LF), Brishaketu Debbarma (IPFT), Prabir Debnath, Pradip Chakraborty, K Dhirendra Singha, Arun Kumar Bhowmik, Narayan Chandra Dey, Brajalal Debnath, Maman Khan, Subal Sarkar and Jaiti Murasingh.
Nominees for East Tripura constituency include Jitendra Chowdhury (LF), Rebati Tripura (BJP), Pragya Debbarman (INC), NC Debbarma (IPFT), Karnadhan Chakma (AB), Dipti Halam (All India People�s Congress), Chittaranjan Debbarma (Tipraland State Party), Bijoy Debbarma, Amar Debbarma and Subir Kumar Jamatia.
