Agartala, Nov 2 : The Left Front and Congress have reached a seat-sharing understanding in 26 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) ahead of the upcoming civic elections, while negotiations are underway to finalise arrangements in the remaining constituencies, a senior CPI(M) leader said.
Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said candidates backed by the Left Front had already started filing nomination papers in the 26 wards where an understanding had been reached.
Discussions with Congress leaders are continuing to settle the remaining seats and complete the alliance arrangement before the nomination process concludes, he said.
According to Chaudhury, both parties are working towards a mutually acceptable formula for the unresolved wards. The Left Front is expected to contest some of these constituencies, while Congress may field candidates in most of the others.
He expressed confidence that the pending issues would be resolved after Congress leaders return from Delhi, paving the way for a formal announcement of the final seat-sharing arrangement in the coming days.
The proposed understanding may not be limited to Agartala, as the two opposition formations are also exploring similar cooperation in elections to other municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats across Tripura.
The move is aimed at coordinating their electoral strategy and presenting a joint challenge to the ruling BJP-led alliance in urban local body elections.
Outlining the proposed campaign agenda, Chaudhury said the alliance would focus on restoring democratic practices, combating corruption and ensuring effective delivery of civic services.
He said urban residents were more concerned about basic municipal amenities and the functioning of civic bodies than political slogans. The opposition would, therefore, focus its campaign on issues affecting people’s daily lives, he added.
The CPI(M) leader also criticised the ruling establishment, alleging that its claims of development had not translated into adequate benefits for ordinary citizens.
The opposition would highlight what it described as the gap between official claims and ground realities during the election campaign, Chaudhury said.
With nomination filing underway and negotiations entering their final phase, political attention has shifted to the remaining wards, where the two parties are yet to reach an agreement.
The final seat-sharing arrangement is expected to determine the distribution of candidates and the extent of the joint opposition challenge in Agartala.
