Entire attempt is to win bypolls, can't be complacent, says BJP's D Purandeswari
Mar 23, 2022
Agartala (Tripura) [India], March 23 : Bharatiya Janata Party National General Secretary D Purandeswari on Wednesday, who is on a three-day state visit, said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is confident about winning the assembly elections in 2023 and bypolls in four Assembly segments in the State in 2022.
The Election Commission of India has initiated the process for bypolls in four Assembly segments in the State, which fell vacant because three MLAs resigned, and one MLA was disqualified under the anti-defection law.
The BJP on Friday nominated its Tripura unit president Manik Saha as the party's candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the State. The main Opposition, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) also announced the name of its candidate for the poll scheduled on March 31.
Speaking to reporters today, Purandeswari said, "Our entire attempt is to win the elections, but having said that, we can't be complacent. We are working hard in the ground to make sure that our victory is ensured in the ensuing polls."
The senior BJP leader was speaking to the media persons at BJP state headquarters.
She said, "After chairing a series of meetings ever since my arrival in the state, I am overwhelmingly satisfied. The BJP government in Tripura led by CM Biplab Kumar Deb is tirelessly working to ensure development for all".
On the results of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, she said, "The results of TTAADC elections have conveyed the message that the BJP has done its part. But, unfortunately, the allies of BJP failed to open their account. Hence, a report will be placed before the party high command in New Delhi pertaining to the matter".
Notably, despite being in power, the BJP-IPFT alliance faced a shocking defeat at the hands of an emergent regional party, Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) led by Pradyot Kishore Debbarman. While BJP managed to win nine out of eleven seats (an additional three in friendly contests with allies) that it fought alone, its ally Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) drew a blank.
She also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "Today, not only in India, but the entire world is looking at our leadership. Pakistani students, after safely returning from conflict-ridden Ukraine, admitted that they were given free passage after they held the Indian flag in hand. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently thanked PM Modi for saving the students of Bangladesh as well."
She also said that she would chair a couple of meetings before her departure to New Delhi on Thursday.
The tenure of incumbent Rajya Sabha MP from Tripura, Jharna Das Baidya, will expire on April 2. The last date for filing nominations for the upcoming election is March 21, while scrutiny of papers will take place the next day.