Parties gear up for Tripura polls : BJP releases manifesto with promises for youth, farmers

Agartala (Tripura) [India], February 9 : With almost a week left for the Tripura elections, parties have stepped up their game as they release their manifesto for the elections.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda and Chief Minister Manik Saha released the party's manifesto on Thursday.
While addressing the public meeting, Nadda said, "When BJP brings out a 'Sankalp Patr', a vision document, it's not only a piece of paper, it is BJP's commitment towards the people."
Nadda further said, "Tripura was once known for blockades and insurgency. The state is now known for peace, prosperity and development."
He added, "13 lakh Ayushman Bharat health cards have been given in Tripura, with Rs 107 crores given in settlement, till now."
JP Nadda launched a scathing attack on the Congress-Left alliance in Tripura ahead of the Assembly election and said the alliance was "opportunistic in nature" and had "no ideology".
While talking to ANI, the BJP President said, "This alliance is opportunistic in nature. It has no ideology. They have formed an alliance to grab the seats. They do not understand that their alliance does not mean the voters get together and support them. Voters do not go by mathematics but by chemistry and relevant issues."
"The Congress-Left alliance is unethical and has no synchrony. We are experienced. The same thing happened in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party did an alliance with Congress and BSP. The results are in front of everybody. It was a big zero. The same results would be seen here," he added.
Earlier on February 6, Trinamool Congress (TMC) released the party's election manifesto with a key promise to provide two lakh jobs in five years.
The party promised 50,000 jobs in the first year itself.
The
said all existing government vacancies would be fulfilled and startup incubators would be set up in the eight districts of the state.
According to its manifesto, the party would give Rs 1,000 per month to one lakh unemployed youths, including to the 10,323 school teachers who lost their jobs in 2017 due to faulty recruitment if it comes to power.
Besides, the party's key promises include, an additional secretariat in North Tripura to manage affairs of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), Rs 10,000 annual assistance to farmers, 2,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and the implementation of several schemes already operational in West Bengal.
TMC is in full mood to spread its influence beyond West Bengal and is mulling to give a tough fight to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura and are contesting the polls in Mamata Banerjee's face.
On the other hand, the BJP is also gearing up for the polls, with Chief Minister Manik Saha conducting a door-to-door campaign on February 6, morning.
Saha held a door-to-door campaign in Goalabasti and Masterpara (Gita Mandir) in Agartala on Sunday ahead of Tripura assembly elections.
The minister visited the area and met the local people and urged them to cast their votes in the election.
While speaking to ANI, the Chief Minister said, "We've got a wonderful response from the public. The way people supported us in 2018, I believe the people's support has increased by many levels."
"I truly believe that this time we can win a record number of seats in the Tripura elections. The main reason for this is our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His work has reached even the last person in this country," added Saha.
Stressing various schemes and the work of the central government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, "Be it Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Nal se Jal Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana or electricity, our Prime Minister has addressed every issue. In our state, we have also worked with the same passion and dedication."
"The double-engine government has worked and a lot of many schemes have been implemented. We have reached a 100 per cent saturation point with schemes in the state. That is why people of the state support us," he said.
Meanwhile, Tripura CPI(M) secretary Jitendra Choudhary hinted that his party may ally with Tipra Motha, a regional front, in the upcoming Assembly election.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Choudhary said his party was in talks with the regional front for an alliance.
Choudhary said he had a conversation with the Tripra Motha chairperson Pradut Kishore Deb Barma on the filing of nominations for the upcoming election.
The CPI(M) leader said, "I had a conversation with the Tipra Motha chief (about an alliance). He said the front has not named any contestant from Sabroom, from where I am contesting."
However, Amid the buzz of a possible alliance with BJP, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (Tipra Motha) Chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma has clarified on Friday that 'no alliance' will be formed with anyone in the upcoming state assembly polls.
Sharing a video for his supporters on Twitter, he said, "A lot of people have speculated in the last three days that we are about to form an alliance. I have said it before and I am saying it again that unless we get in writing from the government of India that our demands will be met constitutionally, I will not form any alliance. I don't blame the people who don't believe it. Because in 46 years, after 1977, every regional Tiprasa political party has gone to Delhi and has come back with an agreement before the election. But after the election, Tiprasa doesn't get anything."
"I have said this before and am repeating it, we will not compromise on our demands. We went to Delhi to discuss and we heard them. If we didn't go, they would've mentioned it that despite the invitation, we skipped the meeting," added Pradyot.
While speaking about the meeting, Pradyot said, "One thing is clear in my heart that they haven't given anything in writing. I want to inform all my TIPRA Motha warriors and the entire Tiprasa that there will be no alliance in this election."
"Either we'll win or we'll lose, but this time we'll fight for one last time," Pradyot assured his supporters in the video.
The northeast region has turned into a saffron belt with Assam electing the BJP twice in 2016 followed by 2021 and then Manipur which elected the BJP government in 2017 and 2022. The party is hopeful that they will be able to form the government for another consecutive term in Tripura as well.
The elections for the 60 seats are scheduled to be held on February 16. In Meghalaya and Nagaland, voting is to be held on 27 February. The counting of votes for all three states will be held simultaneously on March 2.