Tripura Cong announces list for LS seats, names ‘princess’ for one

Agartala: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced the names of the candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats of the state in a list released at the party head office in New Delhi on Friday.

The AICC announced the name of former BJP state vice-president Subal Bhowmik for the West Tripura constituency, and royal scion Pragya Deb Burman for the East Tripura constituency (reserved).

Pragya is the sister of Tripura Pradesh Congress Commitee president Pradyot Kishore Manikya DebBarma and is a social worker. She is believed to be a new entrant into politics.

Talking to EastMojo, Tapas Dey, vice-president of the state Congress, said, “The Congress party is ready for the elections and will be have a heck of a fight. He asserted that the people don’t like the CPI-M and BJP anymore, hence they will reject them both in the state and at the Centre.”

“The return of former BJP leader Subal Bhowmik to Congress is a result of the misrule by the BJP in the state. The people have realized their mistake by voting BJP into power in the 2018 aeembly elections and now they will definitely try to undo their mistake by casting their votes in favour of Congress,” Dey added.

Earlier, the name of Gopal Roy, former president, was in the list but later the former BJP leader’s name was included. The newly appointed TPCC president Pradyot Kishore Manikya DebBarman was also in the list, but the PCC president denied contesting in the elections in order to work for the development and strengthening of both the Lok Sabha seats of the state.

Sources said that despite pressure from the highest level ‘Maharaj’, Pradyot Kishore did not agree to enter the fray as candidate for the East Tripura (ST) seat on the legitimate ground that he will have to organise and co-ordinate the party’s campaign for both the seats to ensure good performance. Acting upon his suggestion the AICC then finalised the name of ‘Maharajkumari’ Pragya Deb Burman as the Congress candidate for the East Tripura (ST) Lok Sabha seat.

The Congress party has announced name of the newly returned Bhowmik after he returned to Congress on March 19 receiving assurance that he will get a nomination from the party in West Tripura Lok Sabha seat.

The Congress candidates will file their nominations on March 25 and 26, according to party sources. The state will vote in the first two phases on April 11 for Tripura West constituency and on April 18 for Tripura East.