New Delhi:
Proving the prophets of doom wrong, the BJP has maintained its strong grip
in Tripura civic polls even as political detractors have alleged violence in the
formerly-Left bastion.
The Lotus party won 'uncontested' 112 out of 334 seats across 20 local civic bodies
including the much prestigious Agartala Municipal Corporation.
The much hype created over the entry of West Bengal-based Trinamool Congress into the fray notwithstanding high flying visits by Mamata Banerjee's influential nephew Abhishek Banerjee and other key leaders has fallen flat.
The BJP has secured nearly 34 per cent of total seats already and majority in Kamalpur
in north, Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh in Western Tripura, Santir Bazar and Udaipur
in southern Tripura.
For the remaining 222 seats, a total of 785 candidates belonging to various political parties now
remain in the fray for the Urban Local Bodies elections to be held on November 25.
The counting of votes will be held on November 28.
The five-year terms of the Agartala Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies expired in
December 2020 but the BJP-led dispensation did not conduct the polls due to Covid-19 pandemic.
State Election Commissioner Manik Lal Dey has said that the elections on Nov 25 would be held through
the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in adherence to the Covid protocols.
The outcome so far has left two major opposition parties the Trinamool Congress and the CPI-M
aggrieved and thus the refrains too have been on expected lines.
The Santirbazar Municipal Council poll outcome went uncontested. The victory for the BJP
was confirmed after withdrawal of nominations by six BJP rebel candidates.
Interestingly, no other parties submitted nominations.
Much to the embarrassment of the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled the northeastern state for long, in state capital Agartala Municipal Corporation itself, eight candidates -- four CPI(M), two Congress, one Forward Bloc and one Independent -- had withdrawn candidatures.
According to a report in TripuraNet.com, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev
alleged that her party candidates for local body polls were facing intimidations from the ruling BJP supporters.
However, her party candidates had shown exemplary courage and faced the threats, she said.
Sushmita Dev, daughter of Congress veteran Santosh Mohan Dev, was roped into TMC by Mamata and specially deployed to make an impact in the civic polls in Tripura, which BJP had captured in 2018 by ousting the communists.
The opposition CPI-M party state general secretary Jitendra Choudhury has already dashed off a
letter to the State Election Commissioner alleging intimidations against party candidates.
“Our party workers were attacked and our candidates in five municipal councils and two nagar
panchayats could not submit their nominations following violence occurred since the announcement
of the poll date,” Choudhury said in a press conference.
Tripura BJP vice president Rajib Bhattacharjee on the contrary said the Trinamool Congress had
unleashed a reign of terror in West Bengal polls against the BJP and has now
brought the 'culture of violence' in Tripura.
The BJP had come to power in 2018 winning 36 seats in the 60-member assembly
while its alliance partner Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) had won 8.
The one time dominant CPI-M could win only 16 seats while Congress and other
smaller Left parties including Forward Bloc and CPI could not open their account.
Living up to its reputation of starting poll preparedness in states well in advance, the
BJP has already set the ball rolling for 2023 assembly elections in Tripura and
carried out a state cabinet reshuffle and expansion in August.
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It's time for 'close consultation' by regional partners on Afghanistan, says Ajit Doval
New Delhi:
The much awaited third meeting of the Regional Security dialogue on Afghanistan got underway here on Wednesday with NSA Ajit Doval making a clarion call that this is the most appropriate "time for close consultation".
"It's a privilege for India to host the dialogue today with participation of all the Central Asian countries and Russia who was the initiator of the idea. We are meeting today to discuss matters related to Afghanistan. This is the time for close consultation amongst us, greater cooperation and interaction and coordination among the regional countries," Mr Doval said in his inaugural address.
The meet is being attended by Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation
Nikolai P. Patrushev and Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani¸ Secretary, Supreme National Security
Council of Iran would among others.
The NSAs and NSA equivalent top officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan are also participating.
The first two editions of the Dialogue were hosted by Iran in 2018 and 2019.
"We all have been keenly watching the developments in that country," Mr Doval said
in reference to Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover.
"These have important implications not only for the people of Afghanistan, but also for its neighbours
and the region," he said.
He expressed confidence that the deliberations would be productive, useful and will contribute to help the
people of Afghanistan and enhance the "collective security".
Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla is also attending the meeting.
Hours before the crucial 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan', NSA Ajit Doval held
a crucial round of talks with his counterparts in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
In what is seen as a clear stand against some sections, India and Uzbekistan NSAs felt that the
"legitimacy of any Afghan government within Afghanistan was important" before the issue of its
international recognition.
Mr Doval and Victor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council of Uzbekistan
agreed that the future of Afghanistan must be decided by the people of Afghanistan themselves.
"Both sides emphasized the need for Afghanistan’s neighbours to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian
assistance to the people of Afghanistan".
They also agreed that neighbouring states must play a "constructive role" in Afghanistan, the source said.
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