Agartala: On Wednesday, candidates from both the opposition CPIM and the ruling BJP-led coalition submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Tripura. Returning Officer Suithuifru Mog received the nominations from both parties. The by-election for the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat is scheduled for September 3.
The ruling BJP-led coalition, comprising the BJP, IPFT, and Tipra Moth, has jointly fielded BJP state chief Rajib Bhattacharjee as their candidate. Meanwhile, the principal opposition has nominated senior SC leader Sudhan Das to contest against Bhattacharjee. CPIM leaders expressed hope that the Congress, another constituent of the INDIA bloc in the state, would support their candidate.
Speaking to the media after submitting his nomination, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha nominee Rajib Bhattacharjee said, “I am grateful to PM Modi, BJP Chief JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for entrusting an ordinary party worker like me with this responsibility. As a member of the BJP family, I aim to contribute to the state government’s development efforts and Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s vision of creating ‘Ek Tripura Srestha Tripura’. I also seek the support and cooperation of all MLAs across party lines.”
Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who accompanied Bhattacharjee along with other ministers and MLAs, expressed confidence that Bhattacharjee would meet the expectations of the party and the people. “He has always performed his duties with excellence. I believe he will continue his dedicated work in this new role as well,” Dr. Saha told reporters.
Later in the day, senior CPIM leader Sudhan Das also submitted his nomination papers. Speaking to reporters, Das said, “Although I have submitted my nomination from CPIM, I hope the parties of the INDIA bloc will support me. Our main agenda is to safeguard the Constitution. We will fight inside and outside Parliament for the people of the country.”
Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Choudhury, who was present with other MLAs from his party, highlighted the importance of supporting a Dalit voice in Parliament. “In Rajya Sabha elections, only MLAs have voting rights.
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As the opposition, we don’t have the numbers for a smooth victory, but we are contesting because Sudhan Das is one of the leading Dalit voices in the country. In Tripura, there are 31 lawmakers from SC and ST backgrounds, including myself. We appeal to all the state assembly lawmakers to help amplify a Dalit voice in Parliament,” Choudhury added.
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