Tripura: NCT accuses Cong of failing to form grand alliance

Agartala, Jan 15: The National conference of

(NCT), which has a huge influence among the tribals in Sadar and Khowai sub-divisions, has decided to contest in 11 seats after alleging that the

did not respond to it over a seat-sharing deal.

Giving a blow to the Congress's pre-poll alliance in the state, NCT general secretary and former MLA Animesh Debbarma said the Congress did not show much interest in engaging with his party despite the latter showing eagerness for forming a grand anti-Left alliance for the Feb 14 polls.

Debbarma said they would have been content with just two seats in the Khowai sub-division where they had built a strong base but the Congress party did not show much interest. He said that he learned from the local media that the national party was considering a single seat for them but soon, that was also gone.

Debbarma said if the Congress believed that the NCT's support was not required and the INPT, which he said to have no base, deserved 11 seats, his party had no objection to it. He said the NCT was putting up 11 candidates while talks were on to field candidates in more seats.

Saying the Congress deliberately failed to form a grand alliance against the Left Front, which has been ruling the state for 20 years at a stretch now, the NCT leader said that the situation was ideal this time for such an alliance. He said the NCT would continue to fight for the people's democratic rights. He said the Left Front had reduced the ADC into a small salary-disbursing body and they were concerned with this.

He also said Ajay Biswas, a workers' leader, has been fighting for their rights for so many years but was not offered any poll ticket. He also accused the Congress of remaining silent on the ADC issue and showed no interest in empowering the ADC for the benefit of the tribal people.

The NCT's candidates and the seats from where they are contesting for the upcoming polls are:

Arun Debbarma (Agartala-6), Mrityunjay Debbarma (Takarjala), Ritesh Debbarma (Golaghati), Animesh Debbarma (Ramchandra ghat), Bikash Debbarma (Khowai), Rajesh Kr Debbarma (Asharambari), Sarajait Debbarma (Kalyanpur-Pramodnagar), Kripajay Reang (Krishnapur), Sanjay Jamatya (Bagma), Lakumar Reang (Ampinagar) and Mandai Bazar (to be announced).

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