Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said seat numbers are secondary if BJP, Tipra Motha and IPFT win Village Committee polls, stressing broader NDA unity, local-level understanding, party strength and village-centric issues during the upcoming rural elections.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Saturday said the number of seats allocated to individual parties would not be the primary consideration in the upcoming Village Committee polls as long as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents emerge victorious.
Speaking to media persons at the BJP Tripura State Headquarters, Dr Saha said the broader objective of the alliance should remain electoral success, while seat-sharing must reflect the respective strengths and support bases of the constituent parties.
“The numbers do not matter. What truly matters at this stage is to look at the results. As long as the NDA constituents–comprising BJP, Tipra Motha and IPFT–are winning we are on the right track,” the Chief Minister said.
He maintained that political parties with stronger support bases should receive proportionate representation during seat-sharing discussions. According to Dr Saha, such an approach would provide a natural basis for determining the political equations among the NDA partners.
“We have to acknowledge the strength of the political parties. The parties which have a stronger support base must be given proportionate representation in seat-sharing. That is the natural way of looking at the political equations,” he said.
Dr Saha also expressed confidence that the NDA would put up a strong performance in the Village Committee elections. He indicated that the alliance would seek to focus its campaign on issues that directly affect people in rural areas.
Explaining the nature of the Village Committee polls, the Chief Minister said they were fundamentally different from elections conducted at the state or national level. He said local issues and village-centric concerns would play a central role in determining the electoral outcome.
“Village Committee polls are totally different in nature. These are rural polls where village-centric issues take the centre stage,” Dr Saha said.
He added that the government’s achievements at the broader level could form part of the campaign, but the principal focus should remain on measures taken to address problems faced by villagers.
“What we have done at the broader level can make a segment of the poll campaign but the central theme of the campaign should be focused on what steps had been undertaken to resolve the village level problems,” he said.
Dr Saha further said that the alliance would listen to people’s concerns and highlight steps taken to resolve problems at the grassroots level. He also did not rule out the possibility of joint campaigning by the alliance partners during the election period.
On the possibility of friendly contests between alliance partners in certain areas, the Chief Minister acknowledged that local political dynamics could sometimes differ from broader alliance-level arrangements.
“Sometimes, local level emotions and party interest do not allow the larger political interests to justify. In that case, local level understanding will ultimately prevail,” Dr Saha said.
His remarks came amid discussions over seat-sharing among the BJP, Tipra Motha and IPFT ahead of the Village Committee elections. The alliance is seeking to maintain coordination among its partners while accommodating their respective organisational strengths and local support bases.
The Chief Minister’s comments also indicated that the alliance would prioritise winning seats collectively rather than focusing solely on the number of seats contested by each constituent.
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During his interaction with the media, Dr Saha also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the BRICS summit being hosted by India, describing the event as a significant occasion for the country.
Later, Dr Saha chaired a meeting with BJP party functionaries at the party’s state headquarters. The meeting focused on organisational matters and preparations as the party and its alliance partners gear up for the upcoming rural polls.
