BJP, IPFT, CPI(M) contestants file nominations

Candidates for the ruling BJP and its ally IPFT filed their nominations against each other for the West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency on Friday.

State BJP general secretary Pratima Bhowmick and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura's (IPFT) youth leader Shukla Charan Noatiya submitted their papers to Returning Officer Sandip Mahatme separately.

CPI(M) candidate and sitting MP Jiten Choudhury also filed his nomination from East Tripura (ST) constituency.

Lok Sabha polls in the state will be held in two phases - West Tripura seat on April 11 and East Tripura on April 18. Both the constituencies are now held by the CPI(M).

Before submitting nomination papers, Bhowmick along with Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and other BJP leaders took part in a procession that moved through different parts of the city.

Noatiya and IPFT general secretary and state minister Mevar Kumar Jamatiya also joined a rally before Noatiya filed his nomination.

The BJP and the IPFT decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls separately after several rounds of talks between them on seat sharing failed.