Congress decide to go it alone in the civic polls, pending last-minute understanding before the last date for withdrawal of nomination

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, November 4, 2026

In a peeved response to the unilateral declaration of nomination for the civic polls by the CPI (M), specially in the 51 ward Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has declared nomination for 49 Wards of AMC, keeping two slots open for announcement later. The CPI (M) led left front had declared 32 nominations for the AMC on November 1, leaving only 19 Wards for Congress candidates despite an informal understanding reached two days earlier.

Announcing the 49 names of Congress candidates for the 51-Ward AMC, the PCC president Asish Kumar Saha and veteran Congress MLA SudipRoybarman said that besides the names of candidates for AMC the Congress will put up nominations for all the Wards of remaining 15 civic bodies except five where Congress candidates are not being allowed to work and will not be able to put up nominations because of the terror unleashed by the BJP cadres and supporters. Speaking to this portal later on the PCC president Asish Kumar Saha said that an informal discussion had been held with the CPI (M) state secretary and leader of the opposition JitenChowdhury in the latter’s assembly chamber on October 30 and a decision had been taken in principle to fight the civic polls together in alliance.

“JitenBabu was quite positive on the matter though what happened later on we do not know but we were shocked to see the left front unilaterally announce nominations for 32 Wards at Agartala and also in other civic bodies across the state; it is well known that at Agartala our position is stronger and we naturally expected to fight more seats but now things have taken a different turn; we are putting up nominations everywhere but will see how things shape up till the last day of withdrawal of papers on November 10” said Asish Kumar Saha.

He however asserted that at the local level the Congress and CPI (M) leadership are trying to reach understanding on contesting seats in alliance as in Ambassa, Kumarghat and Teliamura and this may become fruitful. Asish however, conceded that in five civic bodies, namely, Mohanpur, Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Kamalpur and Santir Bazar in south Tripura the Congress will not be able to put up candidates because of the reign of terror let loose by the BJP. But the Congress is preparing to put up a strong fight against the BJP in the remaining civic bodies while still keeping options open for a last-minute understanding with the CPI (M) before the expiry of the last date for withdrawal of nomination on November 10. Asish has already started giving PCC’s approval for candidates in civic bodies all over the state along with symbol allotment papers.

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