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Ruling BJP has fielded Dr Manik Saha, incumbent Chief Minister and Dr Ashok Sinha in 8 Town Bordowali and 6 Agartala Constituencies respectively to fight it out in the ensuing assembly polls.
Two other candidates for 46 Surma and 57 Jubarajnagar BJP nominees are Swapna Das Paul and Malina Debnath respectively.
While it was almost certain that Dr Saha, who is also BJP president will join the fray from Bordowali, candidature of Dr Sinha from 6 Agartala came as a surprise for all, so was the case of Malina Debnath.
Dr Sinha’s name along with Agartala Press Club Secretary Pranab Sarkar was doing the round for quite some time, but it was also reported that Dr Sinha was reluctant to join electoral politics at present. However, at the last moment the central leadership succeeded in persuading him to agree to contest the polls.
On the other hand both Swpna Paul Das and Malina Debnath were greenhorn as far as electoral politics are concerned. In Jubarajnagar Dr Tamojit Nath was mostly projected as the candidate. But at the last moment the BJP leadership thought of fielding young women candidates in the by-polls, which would undoubtedly help the party garner considerable support from the women voters, especially the young voters.
As it happened both Dr Saha and Dr Sinha happen to be contemporary and friends, apart from their professional similarity. Dr Saha is a maxillofacial surgeon while Dr Sinha is a general practitioner- who had once been with the Indian Defense services also.
While Dr Saha will have to fight Congress leader Asish Saha, Dr Sinha will contest Sudip Roy Barman, again from Congress, besides CPM and TMC candidates.
