Tripura bypolls to witness hectic campaigning

With a fortnight left for by-polls for two Assembly seats in Tripura, major political parties are roping in prominent political personalities to reach out to voters for the November 19 voting.
Union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo and BJP MP from West Bengal Roopa Ganguly would campaign for the by-polls in Tripura, a BJP spokesperson said today.
"Both the leaders have confirmed their participation for campaigning for the by-polls for Barjala and Khowai Assembly seats. However, the date is yet to be confirmed. They would be reaching from Kolkata within a day or two," BJP spokesperson, Mrinal Kanti Deb told reporters.

Besides the two leaders, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, who is also the Convener of the North-East Democratic Alliance, would participate in the campaign.
Major political parties like the ruling Left Front, opposition Congress, opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BJP have fielded their candidates for the by-polls.
The last date of withdrawal of nominations would expire today.

Deb said, besides campaigning, Sharma would also hold talks with two tribal based political parties - Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) for formation of an alliance with BJP for the state Assembly elections due in March 2018.

Trinamool Congress spokesman and former leader of the opposition, Sudip Roy Burman said, TMC leader Mukul Roy and two MLAs of TMC in West Bengal, Shilabhadra Datta and Manas Majumder have arrived in the state today to take part in the campaign.
TPCC President Birajit Sinha said, C P Joshi, a former minister and AICC in-charge of north-east would soon visit the state and participate in the campaign.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar of ruling CPI(M) is also electioneering for the by-polls.
The Khowai seat fell vacant after the death of the CPI-M MLA Samir Deb Sarkar on August 28 last and the Barjala (SC reserved) seat fell vacant due to resignation of Congress MLA, Jitendra Sarkar a few months ago due to internal feud.