The ruling BJP in Tripura on January 25 held an extensive meeting to discuss the candidate list for the forthcoming assembly election.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, former Chief Minister and MP Biplab Kumar Deb, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya, MP Rebati Tripura, Election In-charge Dr Mahendra Sing, Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath, BJP state prabhari Mahesh Sarma, General Secretaries including Amit Rakshit and Tinku Roy and union minister of state Pratima Bhoumik and others were present.
Sources from the party told India Today NE that the main agenda of the meeting was on candidate selection.
“We have reviewed all the 60 assembly constituencies of the state and have selected names of probable candidates for assembly election. After selection of probable names of candidates, we have gone through regarding their background, party activities and the ground. Later, discussion on election strategies was also held”, the top BJP leader told this publication in a condition of anonymity.
The BJP leader also said that soon after the meeting the state senior BJP leaders left for New Delhi to attend the parliamentary board meeting in which the final call on candidate’s list would be made.
“The BJP’s Central Election Committee will meet on January 27 to decide on candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders will attend the meeting at the party’s headquarters in Delhi. The meeting has been called to finalise candidates for elections”, the BJP leader said.
He further claimed that in this election the party may drop several sitting MLAs and also first time MLAs in the state.
“Not only sitting MLAs but also many MLAs of 2018 will be dropped along with old MLA who have crossed 65. This time party would introduce new, fresh and energetic candidates for the election”, the source added.