The Congress will fight in 17 seats. A candidate list of the Congress signed by party’s North East In charge Mukul Wasnik was also released by the AICC.
The Congress who had entered into an alliance with CPM to prevent the division of the opposition votes was given only 13 seats by the Left Front. This angered the Congress which wanted to contest in more seats- but the CPM was not ready to share any more seats. Denied of any more seats the Congress ultimately decided to add four more seats on it own where the CPM had also fielded its candidates.
While as expected Sudip Roy Barman and Asish Saha would fight from 6-Agartala constituency and 8- Town Bordowali, another former BJP MLA D C Hrangkhawl would contest from Karamchara constituency. Former TPCC president Birajit Sinha would fight from Banamalipur.
Surprisingly contrary to the common belief from Kamalpur Congress fielded Rubi Gope while all expected that Supriya Datta might be the party’s candidate to contest sitting BJP MLA and minister Manoj Kanti Deb.
The way CPM did announce its candidates and gave only 13 seats to Congress and now the way Congress came out with its own list and fielded four more against the CPM given 13, also brought to fore the fact that all was now well in the alliance. There were already reports of serious resentment and frustrations among the Congress workers who felt that it would not be possible for them to work together with the CPM. Now in 4 seats the fight will be triangular as with Congress vs CPM vs BJP. However, there are indications at the last moment an understating could be arrived between the Congress and CPM on the basis of the voters’ mood and inclination.
