AMN / WEB DESK
Campaigning has intensified for assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will hold election rally at Agartala in Tripura today. Campaigning for Tripura Assembly polls will conclude tomorrow evening and polling will be held on 16th of this month.
Senior leaders of TMC, Left Front, Congress, TIPRA Motha along with other candidates are making their last ditch efforts to woo the voters. Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Gitte said that Indo – Bangladesh and inter state borders will be sealed today. His office has also released help line numbers for redressal of voters’ grievances if any.
In Meghalaya, all the political parties have intensified their campaigns in the state. 331 candidates of National People’s Party (NPP), BJP, United Democratic Party (UDP), Indian National Congress, Trinmool Congress (AITC), Voice of the People Party VPP), seven from other political outfits, besides 44 Independents are in the fray. Polling will be held on 27th February.
The campaigns are abuzz with allegations and counter allegations over the issues like lack of development, corruption, illegal mining and territorial dispute with neighboring state Assam. Senior NPP leader and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is canvassing on the achievement and mode of governance of his present regime. Addressing a public meeting in Tura in West Garo Hills Mr Sangma claimed that people have witnessed his way of working and made their choice to bring NPP again in power.
Senior BJP leader Alexander L Hek claimed in a Shillong that this time BJP will be in the power and the next Chief Minister will be from the party. Party leaders of VPP, HSPDP, Garo National Council are also very busy in organizing political meetings at micro level to garner support of electorates. VPP leader Bobby Kharshandi addressing a public meeting in New Nongstoin said people of Meghalaya are fed up with present dispensation led by Conrad K Sangma. On the other hand Congress leader B Nonglang claimed that Congress is the only party which can fulfill the dreams of people.
In Tripura, around 14,000 voters belonging to migrant and newly settled Reang tribal people will cast their votes in the upcoming assembly election. Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Ushajen Mog said 13,949 people from newly settled Bru community were enrolled in the electoral roll. These tribal people are settled in 12 locations in four districts of Tripura.
These Reangs, also called Bru, had been displaced from Mizoram two decades back and took shelter in North Tripura for over 20 years. Ultimately, these migrant people have been given permanent settlement in Tripura by means of a tripartite agreement signed among the Centre, State and the Reang/Bru community four years back. Currently, the Election Commission of India has included those about 14000 voters from 5,645 rehabilitated Reang families in the Tripura state electoral rolls.
In Nagaland BJP spokesperson and in-charge of Nagaland, Nalin Kohli said that BJP and NDPP are partnering with one common agenda, which is to serve the people of Nagaland by bringing more development. Addressing media today in Chumoukedima, he said the real election process is going to start and the party which had pre-poll alliance with NDPP on 40: 20 seat sharing, will be concentrating on the remaining 19 seats.
He expressed confidence that the people of Nagaland would bless the coalition government in the state so as to continue the good work of a double engine government.
Mr. Kohli further said the party had requested a galaxy of leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda to visit the state and campaign for party candidates.