edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: January 26, 2023, 00:33 IST
Agartala (including Jogendranagar), India
Elections in Tripura have more or less revolved around the famous austerity of former chief minister Manik Sarkar (L). (Picture: AFP / File)
This is another in a series of major developments ahead of the assembly elections, with the Left and the Congress bridging differences this time to fight together
Manik Sarkar, the longest serving Chief Minister of Tripura from 1998 to 2018, has decided not to contest the upcoming assembly elections. This is another in a series of major developments ahead of the elections, with the Left and the Congress putting aside differences this time and fighting together.
The CPI(M) released its list of candidates and it will contest 43 seats, while the Congress has one seat each along with the Forward Bloc and the CPI as well as an independent. The list includes 24 new faces, which is nearly 50 per cent of the total CPI(M) candidates.
Sarkar, who is known for his simple lifestyle, has pulled out of the fight and this, according to experts, is significant. “He expressed his desire not to contest this election; Even in the morning we tried to pacify him but he remained adamant. Instead of focusing on one seat, he has expressed his desire to put his full strength on all the seats. CPI(M) secretary Jitendra Chowdhary told News18, “We have given him due respect and given him relief.”
It was not easy for the CPI(M) to accept the government’s decision, but after several rounds of meetings, the party finally accepted it. Sources inside the party said that the government wanted to hand over the reins to the next generation. Elections in the state have more or less revolved around the great simplicity of the stalwart leader.
There are 24 new faces in the list of candidates released by the CPI(M), which is trying to project itself as a youth-friendly party.
While former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu resigned from contesting elections in 2006 at the age of 85, Sarkar is in his early 70s and seems to be retiring from electoral politics.
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