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The Congress has formally given a go-ahead to an alliance with left parties for the upcoming assembly election in the eastern state of West Bengal.&nbsp;

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress's Bengal chief, confirmed the alliance on Thursday on Twitter.&nbsp;

"Today the Congress high command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the Left parties in the impending election of West Bengal," Chowdhury tweeted.&nbsp;

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Today the Congress High command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Left?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Left</a> parties in the impending election of West Bengal.<a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCIndia</a><a href="https://twitter.com/INCWestBengal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCWestBengal</a>
— Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhirrcinc/status/1342028521372147714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, the left parties and India's Grand Old Party tried to form an alliance for the Lok Sabha election (general election) 2019, but the talks failed post disagreements over seat-sharing.&nbsp;

However, both parties failed to make any impact in the last general election as the Left Front lost deposits in 39 constituencies and Congress secured two seats and lost deposits in 38 others.

BJP, on the other hand, made big inroads in West Bengal despite having a limited presence and was able to win 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, thereby becoming the main challenger of CM Mamata Banerjee's TMC.&nbsp;

The battle for West Bengal has already intensified with the BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) engaging in a war of words against each other.&nbsp;

The assembly election in the state is due next year in March-April.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Congress has formally given a go-ahead to an alliance with left parties for the upcoming assembly election in the eastern state of West Bengal. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress's Bengal chief, confirmed the alliance on Thursday on Twitter.

The Congress has formally given a go-ahead to an alliance with left parties for the upcoming assembly election in the eastern state of West Bengal. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress's Bengal chief, confirmed the alliance on Thursday on Twitter. "Today the Congress high command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the Left parties in the impending election of West Bengal," Chowdhury tweeted. Today the Congress High command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the #Left parties in the impending election of West Bengal.@INCIndia@INCWestBengal — Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) December 24, 2020 × Earlier, the left parties and India's Grand Old Party tried to form an alliance for the Lok Sabha election (general election) 2019, but the talks failed post disagreements over seat-sharing. However, both parties failed to make any impact in the last general election as the Left Front lost deposits in 39 constituencies and Congress secured two seats and lost deposits in 38 others. BJP, on the other hand, made big inroads in West Bengal despite having a limited presence and was able to win 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, thereby becoming the main challenger of CM Mamata Banerjee's TMC. The battle for West Bengal has already intensified with the BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) engaging in a war of words against each other. The assembly election in the state is due next year in March-April.

West Bengal assembly election: Congress announces alliance with left parties

All but one Left Front candidates now have the ignominy of losing their security deposit in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, a state which it had ruled continuously for 34 years till 2011.&nbsp;

Except CPI(M)'s Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya who got 21.04 per cent of the votes polled in Jadavpur, no other Left Front candidate has been able to achieve the required 16.6 per cent of the votes to retain their deposit money of Rs 25,000 each, according to Election Commission data.&nbsp;

In India, candidates for election to the Lok Sabha pay a security deposit of Rs 25,000. For Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, the amounts are Rs 12,500 and Rs 5,000 respectively. Any candidate who fails to secure more than one-sixth (16.6 per cent) of the total valid votes cast would have to forfeit his or her deposit.

Candidates of the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled the state for 34 years from 1977 to 2011, have been decimated to third and fourth spots in the seats it contested.

There were some candidates who managed to get close -- CPI(M) leaders Mohammed Salim with 14.25 per cent votes in Raiganj, Nepaldeb Bhattacharya with 13.91 per cent in Dum Dum, sitting Murshidabad MP Badarudozza Khan with 11.63 per cent votes, Nandini Mukherjee with 11.63 per cent votes in South Kolkata, but their efforts were not enough.&nbsp;

In most seats, the Left Front candidates have failed to reach double digits as far as vote percentage is concerned.

Registering its worst poll performance in over six decades, the Left Front was wiped off its bastions with no seats from the state.&nbsp;

The Left Front bagged five seats in this election -- four in Tamil Nadu and one in Kerala, where it rules. In Tamil Nadu, the CPI(M) and the CPI bagged two seats each in alliance with the DMK.&nbsp;

This is the first time since 1952 that the Left Front will not end up with double digits in the general election. Till now, while it had put up its most dismal show in 2014, winning only 12 seats -- 12 less than what it had won in 2009 -- its highest ever tally of 59 seats had come in 2004.&nbsp;

All but one Left Front candidates now have the ignominy of losing their security deposit in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, a state which it had ruled continuously for 34 years till 2011.

All but one Left Front candidates now have the ignominy of losing their security deposit in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, a state which it had ruled continuously for 34 years till 2011. Except CPI(M)'s Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya who got 21.04 per cent of the votes polled in Jadavpur, no other Left Front candidate has been able to achieve the required 16.6 per cent of the votes to retain their deposit money of Rs 25,000 each, according to Election Commission data. In India, candidates for election to the Lok Sabha pay a security deposit of Rs 25,000. For Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, the amounts are Rs 12,500 and Rs 5,000 respectively. Any candidate who fails to secure more than one-sixth (16.6 per cent) of the total valid votes cast would have to forfeit his or her deposit. Candidates of the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled the state for 34 years from 1977 to 2011, have been decimated to third and fourth spots in the seats it contested. There were some candidates who managed to get close -- CPI(M) leaders Mohammed Salim with 14.25 per cent votes in Raiganj, Nepaldeb Bhattacharya with 13.91 per cent in Dum Dum, sitting Murshidabad MP Badarudozza Khan with 11.63 per cent votes, Nandini Mukherjee with 11.63 per cent votes in South Kolkata, but their efforts were not enough. In most seats, the Left Front candidates have failed to reach double digits as far as vote percentage is concerned. Registering its worst poll performance in over six decades, the Left Front was wiped off its bastions with no seats from the state. The Left Front bagged five seats in this election -- four in Tamil Nadu and one in Kerala, where it rules. In Tamil Nadu, the CPI(M) and the CPI bagged two seats each in alliance with the DMK. This is the first time since 1952 that the Left Front will not end up with double digits in the general election. Till now, while it had put up its most dismal show in 2014, winning only 12 seats -- 12 less than what it had won in 2009 -- its highest ever tally of 59 seats had come in 2004.

All but one Left Front candidates lose security deposit in West Bengal 

Attacking <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-ndas-wayanad-candidate-demands-review-of-rahul-gandhis-nomination-from-constituency-212367">Congress president Rahul Gandhi</a>, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday urged the people here to vote for BDJS candidate Tushar Vellappally and send across a message to Delhi and Amethi that "you do not want failed MP coming and parachuting into Wayanad."

"Kerala should set an example. What happened during the floods? How much Wayanad suffered? A flood which only if were carefully managed by the LDP government. The Chief Minister should take personal responsibility for not having opened dams on time because of which the people suffered. The flood was totally avoidable," she said.

"Therefore, please vote for BDJS candidate Tushar Vellappally and send a message out of Kerala clearly heard till Delhi and Amethi - We want people from here. We do not want failed MP coming and parachuting into Wayanad," Sitharaman said while addressing a rally here.

"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said about the Muslim League that it is a dead horse. Today, his great-grandson comes to ride on the back of that dead horse. What an irony and Wayanad you are a witness to this irony. Do you want this? We do not want this," she said.

Sitharaman also invited the people of Wayanad to "see development works in Amethi."

"It remains one of the most backward areas of Uttar Pradesh... Wayanad needs development. It needs to develop quickly," he said.

"Wayanad needs a visionary Prime Minister to help the constituency," she said.

Sitharaman also slammed the Left Front.

"The hypocrisy that I want to highlight here is - When Rahul Gandhi was chosen by the Congress party to contest from Wayanad, the top leadership of the Left Front said that the Congress party has chosen Rahul Gandhi because they want to treat us in Kerala as their principal operant. We shall not tolerate this. We shall work to defeat him," she said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Attacking Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday urged the people here to vote for BDJS candidate Tushar Vellappally and send across a message to Delhi and Amethi that "you do not want failed MP coming and parachuting into Wayanad.

Attacking Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday urged the people here to vote for BDJS candidate Tushar Vellappally and send across a message to Delhi and Amethi that "you do not want failed MP coming and parachuting into Wayanad." "Kerala should set an example. What happened during the floods? How much Wayanad suffered? A flood which only if were carefully managed by the LDP government. The Chief Minister should take personal responsibility for not having opened dams on time because of which the people suffered. The flood was totally avoidable," she said. "Therefore, please vote for BDJS candidate Tushar Vellappally and send a message out of Kerala clearly heard till Delhi and Amethi - We want people from here. We do not want failed MP coming and parachuting into Wayanad," Sitharaman said while addressing a rally here. "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said about the Muslim League that it is a dead horse. Today, his great-grandson comes to ride on the back of that dead horse. What an irony and Wayanad you are a witness to this irony. Do you want this? We do not want this," she said. Sitharaman also invited the people of Wayanad to "see development works in Amethi." "It remains one of the most backward areas of Uttar Pradesh... Wayanad needs development. It needs to develop quickly," he said. "Wayanad needs a visionary Prime Minister to help the constituency," she said. Sitharaman also slammed the Left Front. "The hypocrisy that I want to highlight here is - When Rahul Gandhi was chosen by the Congress party to contest from Wayanad, the top leadership of the Left Front said that the Congress party has chosen Rahul Gandhi because they want to treat us in Kerala as their principal operant. We shall not tolerate this. We shall work to defeat him," she said.

Don't want failed MP coming to Wayanad: Nirmala Sitharaman slams Rahul Gandhi

After several days of deliberations with the Congress, the Left Front announced the first list of 25 candidates from West Bengal on Friday.

While the party had announced the names of two candidates from Raigunj and Murshidabad constituency, the party fielded their only two sitting MPs from Bengal – Md Salim from Raigunj and Badrudozza Khan from Murshidabad constituency.

Even as the Left-Congress alliance is yet to be officially announced, the party has decided to not field candidates in four seats where Congress had won in the 2014 elections. These four seats are traditional Congress bastions – Malda Uttar, Malda Dakshin, Jangipur and Berhampur.

The 25 candidates whose names were announced today are :-

<ol>
	<li>Coochbehar – Gobind Ray</li>
	<li>Alipurduar – Mili Urao</li>
	<li>Jalpaiguri – Bhagirath Ray</li>
	<li>Raigunj – Md&nbsp;Salim</li>
	<li>Balurghat – Ronen Barman</li>
	<li>Murshidabad – Badrudozza Khan</li>
	<li>Ranaghat – Rama Biswas</li>
	<li>Bongaon – Alokesh Das</li>
	<li>Dum Dum – Nepal Chandra Bhattacharya</li>
	<li>Barasat – Haripad Biswas</li>
	<li>Basirhat – Pallab Sengupta</li>
	<li>Joynagar – Subhas Naskar</li>
	<li>Diamond Harbour – Dr&nbsp;Fuad Halim</li>
	<li>Jadavpur – Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya</li>
	<li>Kolkata South – Nandini Mukherjee</li>
	<li>Uluberia – Maksuda Khatun</li>
	<li>Hooghly – Pradip Saha</li>
	<li>Arambagh – Saktimohan Mullick</li>
	<li>Ghatal – Tapan Ganguly</li>
	<li>Mednipur – Biplab Bhatt</li>
	<li>Purulia – Bir Singh Mahato</li>
	<li>Bishnupur – Sunil Kha</li>
	<li>Burdwan Purba – Iswarchandra Das</li>
	<li>Burdwan Durgapur – Abhas Roy Chowdhuryt</li>
	<li>Birbhum – Dr&nbsp;Rezaul Karim</li>
</ol>

After several days of deliberations with the Congress, the Left Front announced the first list of 25 candidates from West Bengal on Friday. While the party had announced the names of two candidates from Raigunj and Murshidabad constituency, the party fielded their only two sitting MPs from Bengal – Md Salim from Raigunj and Badrudozza Khan from Murshidabad constituency.

After several days of deliberations with the Congress, the Left Front announced the first list of 25 candidates from West Bengal on Friday. While the party had announced the names of two candidates from Raigunj and Murshidabad constituency, the party fielded their only two sitting MPs from Bengal – Md Salim from Raigunj and Badrudozza Khan from Murshidabad constituency. Even as the Left-Congress alliance is yet to be officially announced, the party has decided to not field candidates in four seats where Congress had won in the 2014 elections. These four seats are traditional Congress bastions – Malda Uttar, Malda Dakshin, Jangipur and Berhampur. The 25 candidates whose names were announced today are :- Coochbehar – Gobind Ray Alipurduar – Mili Urao Jalpaiguri – Bhagirath Ray Raigunj – Md Salim Balurghat – Ronen Barman Murshidabad – Badrudozza Khan Ranaghat – Rama Biswas Bongaon – Alokesh Das Dum Dum – Nepal Chandra Bhattacharya Barasat – Haripad Biswas Basirhat – Pallab Sengupta Joynagar – Subhas Naskar Diamond Harbour – Dr Fuad Halim Jadavpur – Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya Kolkata South – Nandini Mukherjee Uluberia – Maksuda Khatun Hooghly – Pradip Saha Arambagh – Saktimohan Mullick Ghatal – Tapan Ganguly Mednipur – Biplab Bhatt Purulia – Bir Singh Mahato Bishnupur – Sunil Kha Burdwan Purba – Iswarchandra Das Burdwan Durgapur – Abhas Roy Chowdhuryt Birbhum – Dr Rezaul Karim

Lok Sabha polls: Left Front announces first list of 25 candidates from West Bengal

The Communist Party of India has left out student leader Kanhaiya Kumar from its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, indicating that its seat-sharing talks with the RJD in Bihar has hit roadblocks.

The Left party on Friday said it has identified 53 seats in 24 states for the upcoming polls and announced names of 15 candidates.

"Our talks with the RJD are ongoing and we will take a call on Kanhaiya Kumar once those are finalised. Both the state and local units have identified a seat for him and we have to see how the talks with RJD pan out," said CPI leader D Raja, indicating that if the RJD doesn't concede to its demand, his party will have to go back to the drawing board.

CPI is believed to have asked for the Begusarai seat for Kanhaiya.

Sources said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad is against giving the student leader a seat as he believes that his caste, Bhumihar, would not go down well for his party, which is traditionally anti-upper caste.

Also, the RJD feels the only Left party having significant presence and support base in Bihar is the CPI(ML).

Names of candidates have been declared for Mavelikkara, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayyand in Kerala, Bastar South in Chhattisgarh, Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, Kathua in Jammu, Tumakuru in Karnataka, Parbhani and Shirdi in Maharashtra, Inner Manipur, Aska in Odisha, Sri Ganganagar, Udaipur and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan.

The party has also formed an election manifesto committee with D Raja as its convener.

The Communist Party of India has left out student leader Kanhaiya Kumar from its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, indicating that its seat-sharing talks with the RJD in Bihar has hit roadblocks.

The Communist Party of India has left out student leader Kanhaiya Kumar from its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, indicating that its seat-sharing talks with the RJD in Bihar has hit roadblocks. The Left party on Friday said it has identified 53 seats in 24 states for the upcoming polls and announced names of 15 candidates. "Our talks with the RJD are ongoing and we will take a call on Kanhaiya Kumar once those are finalised. Both the state and local units have identified a seat for him and we have to see how the talks with RJD pan out," said CPI leader D Raja, indicating that if the RJD doesn't concede to its demand, his party will have to go back to the drawing board. CPI is believed to have asked for the Begusarai seat for Kanhaiya. Sources said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad is against giving the student leader a seat as he believes that his caste, Bhumihar, would not go down well for his party, which is traditionally anti-upper caste. Also, the RJD feels the only Left party having significant presence and support base in Bihar is the CPI(ML). Names of candidates have been declared for Mavelikkara, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayyand in Kerala, Bastar South in Chhattisgarh, Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, Kathua in Jammu, Tumakuru in Karnataka, Parbhani and Shirdi in Maharashtra, Inner Manipur, Aska in Odisha, Sri Ganganagar, Udaipur and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. The party has also formed an election manifesto committee with D Raja as its convener.

Lok Sabha: CPI(M) releases first list of 15 candidates, leaves out Kanhaiya Kumar

Polling in Tripura recorded an 89.96 % turn out. This is not exactly a record turn-out. It means 10 % of 25.73 lakh or 2.5 lakh people (approximately) never turned up to vote. Considering that Tripura is one of the few states with high voter literacy and since both the Left Front and the BJP have undertaken considerable booth management exercises, the turn-out is rather dismal. Be that as it may, Tripura&rsquo;s fate is now sealed. We have to wait till March 3 for the verdict.&nbsp;

But until yesterday, Manik Sarkar, Tripura&rsquo;s chief minister till date and for the last 20 years confidently claimed that the Left Front would return to power even as BJP stalwarts in Tripura countered his claims and say the voters will decide whether they want to be stuck with a non-delivering socialistic paradigm or a development-oriented government that people have been deprived of for several decades. Prime Minister Modi made a special appeal to the voters of Tripura to come out and vote for the BJP which promises &#39;Change&#39;.

The BJP has made a clutter of promises from the universal health insurance to farm loan waiver and smartphone for youths to direct funding for ADC &ndash; 2018 and above all implementation of the 7th Pay Commission and enhanced daily wages to Rs 340 per day. Countering the BJP claims, working president of the Congress Party (which is now reduced to a complete non-entity and which might not get even a single seat this time), Pradyot Debbarma says the BJP is promising the moon but will find it hard to deliver. &ldquo;They are talking about the 7th Pay Commission here but have not implemented the same in Assam, Madhya Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states. The daily wages under MNREGA in Assam where BJP is ruling is Rs 170, so how can they pay Rs 340 in Tripura?&rdquo; The problem is that the Congress offers nothing better except to counter the BJP&rsquo;s claims.&nbsp;

This, in fact, is the problem with the Congress Party in the poll-bound states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. The Party has no vision for the region and the states. It has just been lambasting the BJP and voters are actually tired of these political slugfests on a daily basis. Rahul Gandhi, the AICC President, came to campaign in Tripura only on the penultimate date, 48 hours before polling. This has not enchanted people to vote for Congress.&nbsp;

In fact, the rise of the Left Parties in Tripura is proportionate to the failure of the Congress Party to win hearts and minds. From a movement initiated by enlightened youth in the 1940s the CPI which later morphed into the CPI (M), went on to form the first Left Front government in alliance with two other parties - the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc in 1978. The Congress aligned with Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti (TUJS) &ndash; a party of the indigenous people of Tripura and defeated the Left Front in 1988. But this coalition was short-lived. By the next election in 1993, the Left Front returned to power.

Much has been said about Manik Sarkar&rsquo;s honesty and him being the poorest chief minister of Tripura but this claim is busted by the Rose Valley chit fund scam where Sarkar&rsquo;s ministers were singed. The Company is alleged to have looted Rs 35 crore of public deposits, according to State Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha. No action taken against the accused has created disaffection in the depositors.

&nbsp;Moreover, the failure of the Left Front to address unemployment; its failure to attract industries for employment generation and a general sense that even the Digital India drive that has enabled the country to connect with the world, has not worked for Tripura and you have an anatomy of failed governance.

&nbsp;Then there is the infamous ruling by the Supreme Court where 10,323 government teachers were terminated because the state Education Department flouted the rules under which the teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had to be recruited which required a certain qualification and three years of experience. The state created over 12 thousand non-teaching posts where they might have been rehabilitated but again the Supreme Court prevented the Government from going ahead with this plan. Hence, the 12,000 odd jobless people are bound to retaliate against the Government. Or that is what is expected in normal circumstances.

The Medical College started in Tripura, has not been functioning well and the BJP has called out all the scams that it has documented meticulously. To start industries in a Left-ruled state has always been a challenge because of the rent-seeking mafia. Hence industries that opened up with much fanfare quickly shut down because there was no scope for their enterprise to bloom in Tripura.

Tripura has about 8 lakh of unemployed youth and jobs in the government sector have stagnated. Government employees are still stuck with the 4th Pay Commission. Dissatisfaction is writ large on their faces. Meanwhile, the BJP has come in with a basketful of promises and hopes to cash in on this feeling of large-scale disaffection. The BJP used its students&rsquo; wing- the ABVP and the disciplined RSS machinery. They were able to build grassroots contact.

To add to this extensive exercise the BJP also flew in its central ministers. Prime Minister Modi flew in twice to Tripura. Amit Shah, the BJP President, organised mega rallies. Other senior ministers flew in and out of Tripura. So did the ministers from neighbouring Assam and Manipur, both BJP ruled states. It is alleged that the BJP also had the moolah which Manik Sarkar&rsquo;s Party could not afford. Political observers said, &ldquo;Never before have we seen four private planes parked at Agartala airport&quot;. Central ministers were literally flying in and out of Tripura.&nbsp;

So eager is the BJP to win this Left bastion that it has pulled out all the stops. It remains to be seen if this effort would pay dividends. The BJP has been pitching for change in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.&nbsp;

What change party brings,&nbsp;will be revealed when and if the BJP comes to power? Until then the voters of Tripura must wait and watch. So to the two main political rivals!&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The BJP has come in with a basketful of promises and hopes to cash in on this feeling of large-scale disaffection in Tripura.

Polling in Tripura recorded an 89.96 % turn out. This is not exactly a record turn-out. It means 10 % of 25.73 lakh or 2.5 lakh people (approximately) never turned up to vote. Considering that Tripura is one of the few states with high voter literacy and since both the Left Front and the BJP have undertaken considerable booth management exercises, the turn-out is rather dismal. Be that as it may, Tripura’s fate is now sealed. We have to wait till March 3 for the verdict. But until yesterday, Manik Sarkar, Tripura’s chief minister till date and for the last 20 years confidently claimed that the Left Front would return to power even as BJP stalwarts in Tripura countered his claims and say the voters will decide whether they want to be stuck with a non-delivering socialistic paradigm or a development-oriented government that people have been deprived of for several decades. Prime Minister Modi made a special appeal to the voters of Tripura to come out and vote for the BJP which promises 'Change'. The BJP has made a clutter of promises from the universal health insurance to farm loan waiver and smartphone for youths to direct funding for ADC – 2018 and above all implementation of the 7th Pay Commission and enhanced daily wages to Rs 340 per day. Countering the BJP claims, working president of the Congress Party (which is now reduced to a complete non-entity and which might not get even a single seat this time), Pradyot Debbarma says the BJP is promising the moon but will find it hard to deliver. “They are talking about the 7th Pay Commission here but have not implemented the same in Assam, Madhya Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states. The daily wages under MNREGA in Assam where BJP is ruling is Rs 170, so how can they pay Rs 340 in Tripura?” The problem is that the Congress offers nothing better except to counter the BJP’s claims. This, in fact, is the problem with the Congress Party in the poll-bound states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. The Party has no vision for the region and the states. It has just been lambasting the BJP and voters are actually tired of these political slugfests on a daily basis. Rahul Gandhi, the AICC President, came to campaign in Tripura only on the penultimate date, 48 hours before polling. This has not enchanted people to vote for Congress. In fact, the rise of the Left Parties in Tripura is proportionate to the failure of the Congress Party to win hearts and minds. From a movement initiated by enlightened youth in the 1940s the CPI which later morphed into the CPI (M), went on to form the first Left Front government in alliance with two other parties - the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc in 1978. The Congress aligned with Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti (TUJS) – a party of the indigenous people of Tripura and defeated the Left Front in 1988. But this coalition was short-lived. By the next election in 1993, the Left Front returned to power. Much has been said about Manik Sarkar’s honesty and him being the poorest chief minister of Tripura but this claim is busted by the Rose Valley chit fund scam where Sarkar’s ministers were singed. The Company is alleged to have looted Rs 35 crore of public deposits, according to State Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha. No action taken against the accused has created disaffection in the depositors. Moreover, the failure of the Left Front to address unemployment; its failure to attract industries for employment generation and a general sense that even the Digital India drive that has enabled the country to connect with the world, has not worked for Tripura and you have an anatomy of failed governance. Then there is the infamous ruling by the Supreme Court where 10,323 government teachers were terminated because the state Education Department flouted the rules under which the teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had to be recruited which required a certain qualification and three years of experience. The state created over 12 thousand non-teaching posts where they might have been rehabilitated but again the Supreme Court prevented the Government from going ahead with this plan. Hence, the 12,000 odd jobless people are bound to retaliate against the Government. Or that is what is expected in normal circumstances. The Medical College started in Tripura, has not been functioning well and the BJP has called out all the scams that it has documented meticulously. To start industries in a Left-ruled state has always been a challenge because of the rent-seeking mafia. Hence industries that opened up with much fanfare quickly shut down because there was no scope for their enterprise to bloom in Tripura. Tripura has about 8 lakh of unemployed youth and jobs in the government sector have stagnated. Government employees are still stuck with the 4th Pay Commission. Dissatisfaction is writ large on their faces. Meanwhile, the BJP has come in with a basketful of promises and hopes to cash in on this feeling of large-scale disaffection. The BJP used its students’ wing- the ABVP and the disciplined RSS machinery. They were able to build grassroots contact. To add to this extensive exercise the BJP also flew in its central ministers. Prime Minister Modi flew in twice to Tripura. Amit Shah, the BJP President, organised mega rallies. Other senior ministers flew in and out of Tripura. So did the ministers from neighbouring Assam and Manipur, both BJP ruled states. It is alleged that the BJP also had the moolah which Manik Sarkar’s Party could not afford. Political observers said, “Never before have we seen four private planes parked at Agartala airport". Central ministers were literally flying in and out of Tripura. So eager is the BJP to win this Left bastion that it has pulled out all the stops. It remains to be seen if this effort would pay dividends. The BJP has been pitching for change in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. What change party brings, will be revealed when and if the BJP comes to power? Until then the voters of Tripura must wait and watch. So to the two main political rivals! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Tripura is disappointed with Left but can BJP do better?

Tripura would go to polls tomorrow with the BJP emerging as the main challenger to the ruling Left Front, which has been in power in the state for the last 25 years. 
 
Polling would be held in 59 of the total 60 seats. Voting in Charilam Assembly constituency would be held on March 12 due to the death of the CPI(M) candidate for the seat, Ramendra Narayan Deb Barma, five days ago. 
 
Twenty seats have been reserved for the scheduled tribes. 
 
The BJP held a high-voltage campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing as many as four rallies in the state. 
 
Other heavyweight leaders of the saffron party to take part in the campaign were its national president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 
 
Manik Sarkar, who is running for his fifth term as the chief minister, led the CPI(M)&#39;s campaign addressing around 50 rallies in the state. Other Left leaders like Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat lent support to the party&#39;s campaign. 
 
The Congress&#39; campaign was somewhat subdued with party president Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally at Kailashahar in Unakoti district, about 180 kms from Agartala, on the last day of campaigning. 
 
Altogether, 307 candidates are in the fray. 
 
The CPI(M) is contesting in 57 seats and while the other Left Front constituents, the RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI, are contesting one seat each. 
 
The BJP, which has forged an alliance with tribal outfit Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) has fielded 51 candidates. IPFT will contest in the remaining nine seats. 
 
The Congress is going it alone in Tripura this time and will contest in 59 seats. The party has not fielded any candidate for Kakrabon constituency in Gomati district. 
 
Of the 25,73,413 electorate, 13,05,375 are males and 12,68,027 women while the number of third gender voters is 11. There are 47,803 new voters this time. 
 
Voting would be held between 7 am and 4 pm tomorrow at 3,214 polling stations of which 47 would be managed by women, election office sources said. 
 
Tripura chief electoral officer Sriram Taranikanti said the Election Commission has appointed police observers, general observers and expenditure observers to ensure free and fair polls. 
 
He said that Director General of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) R K Pachnanda has been appointed as a special observer to coordinate the security forces deployed in the state. 
 
State Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla said tight security measures are in place across Tripura for free and fair elections. 
 
Three hundred companies of central armed forces have been deployed across the state along with state armed personnel and the police, he said, adding the BSF is keeping keep close vigil along the 856 km long Indo-Bangladesh border in the state. 
 
Counting of votes will take place on March 3, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Modok said.

The Left Front has been in power in the state for the last 25 years

Tripura would go to polls tomorrow with the BJP emerging as the main challenger to the ruling Left Front, which has been in power in the state for the last 25 years. Polling would be held in 59 of the total 60 seats. Voting in Charilam Assembly constituency would be held on March 12 due to the death of the CPI(M) candidate for the seat, Ramendra Narayan Deb Barma, five days ago. Twenty seats have been reserved for the scheduled tribes. The BJP held a high-voltage campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing as many as four rallies in the state. Other heavyweight leaders of the saffron party to take part in the campaign were its national president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Manik Sarkar, who is running for his fifth term as the chief minister, led the CPI(M)'s campaign addressing around 50 rallies in the state. Other Left leaders like Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat lent support to the party's campaign. The Congress' campaign was somewhat subdued with party president Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally at Kailashahar in Unakoti district, about 180 kms from Agartala, on the last day of campaigning. Altogether, 307 candidates are in the fray. The CPI(M) is contesting in 57 seats and while the other Left Front constituents, the RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI, are contesting one seat each. The BJP, which has forged an alliance with tribal outfit Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) has fielded 51 candidates. IPFT will contest in the remaining nine seats. The Congress is going it alone in Tripura this time and will contest in 59 seats. The party has not fielded any candidate for Kakrabon constituency in Gomati district. Of the 25,73,413 electorate, 13,05,375 are males and 12,68,027 women while the number of third gender voters is 11. There are 47,803 new voters this time. Voting would be held between 7 am and 4 pm tomorrow at 3,214 polling stations of which 47 would be managed by women, election office sources said. Tripura chief electoral officer Sriram Taranikanti said the Election Commission has appointed police observers, general observers and expenditure observers to ensure free and fair polls. He said that Director General of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) R K Pachnanda has been appointed as a special observer to coordinate the security forces deployed in the state. State Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla said tight security measures are in place across Tripura for free and fair elections. Three hundred companies of central armed forces have been deployed across the state along with state armed personnel and the police, he said, adding the BSF is keeping keep close vigil along the 856 km long Indo-Bangladesh border in the state. Counting of votes will take place on March 3, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Modok said.

Tripura goes to polls tomorrow, BJP the main challenger

The Calcutta High Court, on Friday, ordered a CBI preliminary probe into the Narada sting operation in which some TMC leaders were seen allegedly taking money.&nbsp;

The court also directed the CBI to register an FIR, if required, after completion of the preliminary enquiry and initaite formal investigation thereafter.&nbsp;

Terming the court order stopping the Kolkata Police probe as &quot;unfortunate&quot;, the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, said that the Trinamool Congress government will challenge the order in the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

The Opposition parties led by the Left Front launched an attack on the TMC government. The Left Front took out a rally demanding inclusion of chief minister Mamata Banerjee under the purview of investigation and the immediate arrests of all those who were caught taking bribes.

&quot;We demand that the CBI should be pro-active. It should immediately arrest the TMC leaders involved in the Narada scam. The chief minister should also be brought under the purview of the investigation as it is her party leaders and cabinet ministers who are involved in the scam,&quot; Surya Kanta Mishra, CPI(M) state secretary, said while addressing the rally.

&quot;The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee should stop shielding the TMC MPs and take up an active role. The CBI should be allowed to work freely and the political match-fixing between the BJP and the TMC should not affect the investigation,&quot; he added.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborti directed the CBI to take possession of all material and devices related to the sting operation within 24 hours and to conclude the preliminary enquiry within another 72 hours, PTI reported.

The division bench of the Calcutta High Court observed that given the persons involved in the case which include ministers and senior leaders of the ruling government, it would be appropriate to let the CBI and not any state agency to conduct a preliminary enquiry, PTI said.

The court also observed that a report by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh had said that the tapes were not tampered.

The court directed the state government to initiate disciplinary action against IPS officer SMH Mirza, who was allegedly seen in one of the tapes. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Narada tapes were released to various news organisations just before the West Bengal assembly elections last year. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5fixgFJzFm8" width="725"></iframe>

(WION with inputs from PTI)

The court also directed the CBI to register an FIR, if required, after completion of the preliminary enquiry

The Calcutta High Court, on Friday, ordered a CBI preliminary probe into the Narada sting operation in which some TMC leaders were seen allegedly taking money. The court also directed the CBI to register an FIR, if required, after completion of the preliminary enquiry and initaite formal investigation thereafter. Terming the court order stopping the Kolkata Police probe as "unfortunate", the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, said that the Trinamool Congress government will challenge the order in the Supreme Court. The Opposition parties led by the Left Front launched an attack on the TMC government. The Left Front took out a rally demanding inclusion of chief minister Mamata Banerjee under the purview of investigation and the immediate arrests of all those who were caught taking bribes. "We demand that the CBI should be pro-active. It should immediately arrest the TMC leaders involved in the Narada scam. The chief minister should also be brought under the purview of the investigation as it is her party leaders and cabinet ministers who are involved in the scam," Surya Kanta Mishra, CPI(M) state secretary, said while addressing the rally. "The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee should stop shielding the TMC MPs and take up an active role. The CBI should be allowed to work freely and the political match-fixing between the BJP and the TMC should not affect the investigation," he added. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborti directed the CBI to take possession of all material and devices related to the sting operation within 24 hours and to conclude the preliminary enquiry within another 72 hours, PTI reported. The division bench of the Calcutta High Court observed that given the persons involved in the case which include ministers and senior leaders of the ruling government, it would be appropriate to let the CBI and not any state agency to conduct a preliminary enquiry, PTI said. The court also observed that a report by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh had said that the tapes were not tampered. The court directed the state government to initiate disciplinary action against IPS officer SMH Mirza, who was allegedly seen in one of the tapes. The Narada tapes were released to various news organisations just before the West Bengal assembly elections last year. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe in Narada case

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