BJP won 71 percent seats uncontested due to Opposition's weakness: Rajib

Tripura BJP President Rajib Bhattacharya announced on Thursday that the BJP secured 71 percent of the seats in the upcoming three-tier Panchayat polls uncontested. He attributed this to the opposition's failure to field candidates, citing their organizational weaknesses and internal issues.

During a press conference, Bhattacharya detailed that the three-tier panchayat polls are scheduled for August 8, with results to be announced on August 12. He reported that out of 6,370 seats in 605 Gram Panchayats, 4,704 BJP candidates won uncontested, leaving elections to be held in 1,666 seats. Similarly, in the 35 Panchayat Samitis, 244 out of 423 seats were uncontested, while 179 will see elections. In the Zila Parishad, 20 out of 116 seats were won uncontested, with elections to occur in 96 seats.

Bhattacharya highlighted the significant support for the BJP, noting that in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the party's performance underscored public approval. He credited the double-engine government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha for their welfare initiatives, which included the provision of over 4 lakh pucca houses, access to drinking water, toilets, and social pensions. He contrasted this with the previous CPIM government, which he accused of neglecting the poor and favoring their leaders and families.

He dismissed the opposition's allegations against the BJP, asserting that their failure to field candidates stemmed from their organizational shortcomings, not from any actions by the BJP. According to Bhattacharya, the people have rejected the opposition parties, such as CPIM and Congress, due to their lack of commitment to the welfare of rural communities.

Amit Rakshit, BJP Tripura General Secretary, also spoke at the press conference, mentioning the formation of a 12-member Election Management Committee to oversee the Panchayat elections. He emphasized that the party's democratic process enabled them to field candidates in all Gram Panchayat, Zila Parishad, and Panchayat Samiti seats. Rakhsit credited Bhattacharya and Chief Minister Saha for the party's uncontested victories in 71% of the seats.