Ahead of Municipal Elections, Tripura’s Political Leaders Step Up Public Outreach During Durga Puja, CM Manik Saha Leads Pandal-Hopping Campaign
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, October 18, 2026
With elections to the municipal corporations and Nagar Panchayats approaching, Durga Puja has emerged as a major platform for political outreach in Tripura, with leaders across party lines seeking to connect with people through pandal visits, inaugurations, religious programmes and community interactions.
Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha has taken the lead in the festive outreach, visiting a large number of Durga Puja pandals across Agartala and other parts of the state. Since Panchami, the Chief Minister has reportedly been attending around 15 to 16 pandal visits daily, reflecting the importance the ruling BJP is attaching to public engagement ahead of the forthcoming urban local body elections.
The extensive schedule of the Chief Minister, who has received invitations from numerous Puja organisers, has made him one of the most visible political figures during this year's Sharadotsav. Alongside him, a large number of BJP ministers, MLAs and MPs have also been participating in Puja inaugurations and visiting community celebrations, strengthening direct contact with residents.
The participation of the Chief Minister and other senior BJP leaders in Durga Puja celebrations is being viewed as part of a broader effort to maintain public engagement ahead of the municipal elections. Pandal visits provide political leaders with opportunities to interact with residents, club members, traders, organisers and local community representatives in an atmosphere of celebration.
The Chief Minister's itinerary has covered numerous clubs and social organisations in Agartala, with visits extending across several localities, including Ramnagar, Bardowali, Bhattapukur, Maharajganj Bazar, Shyamalibazar and other areas.
The Chief Minister began his Durga Puja tour on Panchami with a visit to the Oikayaktan Yuva Sangstha pandal in Shantipara, Agartala. His subsequent visits included Aravinda Sangha, Kalyan Samiti, Egiye Chalo Club, Ramakrishna Club in Ramnagar, Shanti Sangha Club, Colonel Chowmuhani Yuva Sanghstha, Lal Bahadur Club and Smriti Club.
On Maha Shashthi evening, the Chief Minister continued his extensive Puja parikrama, visiting the Jewels Association at Bidur Karta Chowmuhani, Skylark Club at Ker Chowmuhani, Yuva Sangha in Ramnagar and the ONGC Tripura Asset Puja.
His itinerary also included Netaji Samajik Sangstha, Adi Janakalyan Sangha, Pratap Sangha, BPC Club and Amader Club in Bardowali; Shuktara Sangha and Naba Oikya Club in Bhattapukur; NBRC Club at Bansh Bazar in Nagerjala; Biplabi Khudiram Samajik Sangstha on Gangail Road; Forward Club on Mantri Bari Road; and Tarun Sangha in Ramnagar.
Other pandals visited during the tour included Pole Star Club at Vivekananda Maidan, the Vegetable Traders' Association and Fish Traders' Association at Maharajganj Bazar, Vivekananda Township at Kaman Chowmuhani, Recreation Club at Shyamalibazar, Mukti Sangha in Ramnagar and Sphulinga Club at Ganaraj Chowmuhani.
The Chief Minister also visited Puja organisers and community institutions outside the capital, including the Srirampur Puja Committee in Kailashahar and the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram at Gobindapur in Kailashahar.
At the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, he participated in the devotional atmosphere and offered pushpanjali, praying for the happiness, peace, good health and prosperity of the people of Tripura.
He also attended the Durga Puja organised at the Srirampur residence of state minister Tinku Roy, where he had the opportunity to offer prayers to Goddess Durga.
The Chief Minister's visits have highlighted the artistic decorations, creative themes and community participation that characterise Durga Puja celebrations across the state.
The principal opposition CPI(M) has also been seeking to maintain its public presence during the festive season, although its leaders have been less visible at large-scale Puja inaugurations compared with their BJP counterparts.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, along with other senior party leaders, have been engaging with people through the inauguration of bookstalls and participation in cultural and social programmes.
Jitendra Chaudhury has also been visiting people's home puja pandals, providing an opportunity for direct interaction with residents and party supporters.
The CPI(M)'s bookstall initiatives serve not only as a platform for distributing political literature but also as a means of engaging with readers, discussing public issues and maintaining contact with people during the festive period.
Although the scale of its Puja-related engagements has been comparatively limited, the party appears to be using smaller community-level activities to reinforce its grassroots presence.
In contrast, Congress leaders have been comparatively less visible at major Durga Puja inaugurations and large pandal events, apart from participation in neighbourhood celebrations.
While individual Congress leaders may have attended local programmes, the party's overall presence at prominent Puja inaugurations has appeared less pronounced than that of the BJP and CPI(M).
This difference in visibility has become noticeable during a festival that brings together people from different social and political backgrounds and offers leaders an opportunity to interact with large gatherings outside conventional political meetings.
Tripura Legislative Assembly Speaker Rampada Jamatia also participated in religious celebrations during the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja.
He attended a Durga Puja kirtan programme at Killa Bazar, organised by Pitra Moial. Extending his greetings to the people, Jamatia expressed hope that Maa Durga would bless everyone with peace, prosperity, happiness and strength.
His participation reflected the broader involvement of public representatives in religious and cultural programmes during the state's biggest annual festival.
Apart from his Puja-related engagements and 21 thousands of Shari distribution, Deputy Speaker of Tripura Legislative Assembly Ramprasad Pal also attended almost every Puja pandals in his Suryamaninagar Assembly constituency.
Notably, Durga Puja remains one of Tripura's most significant cultural and social occasions, bringing together residents across communities, neighbourhoods and economic backgrounds. The elaborate pandals, artistic installations, devotional programmes and community gatherings create opportunities for direct interaction between political representatives and the public.
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