Agartala: As many as 259 candidates are in fray for the forthcoming Tripura Legislative assembly election after 32 candidates withdrew their candidature on Thursday, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte.
Altogether 310 aspirants’ submitted nominations and 19 were rejected during scrutiny.
“We have rejected 19 nomination papers as they had no proposal papers of 10 people, they didn’t deposit security money and based on other issues. Among this 291 candidates were left and today on the last day withdrawal of candidature 32 candidates withdrew it. After all the procedure 259 candidates are in fray while in 2018 the number was 297,” said Gitte.
After the final list came 28 candidates from Trinamool Congress, 55 from BJP, 1 from CPI, 43 from CPI(M), 13 from Congress, 6 from IPFT, 42 of Tipra Motha, one each of TSP, RSP, CPI (ML) and Forward Bloc, 2 of TPP, 7 of other unrecognized party while 58 are independent.
He further informed that from CPI(M) 13, 3 from Congress, 3 from Tipra Motha and rest are independent who withdrew their candidature. The process of ballot paper distribution will start on Friday while the process of postal ballot vote will start from next week.
Gitte said the number of polling stations also increased from 3328 to 3337 polling stations where 28.13 lakh voters including 80,000 new electorates and 13,500 Brus settled in 12 locations of Tripura would exercise their franchise on Feb 16 next.
