AGARTALA, Jan 18 ? The Opposition Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) yesterday announced its candidates for 16 seats out of 18 in which they would fight against the Left Front. The candidates for the two seats Jolaibari and Asharambari will be announced later, said party?s general secretary Rabindra Debbarma. The party has left two ST reserved constituencies Pecharthal and Golaghati to Congress.
Apparently dogged by the ?Congress syndrome? in view of presence of more than one aspirant, the INPT failed to reach a consensus as to who should be nominated in the two remaining constituencies even after the party?s election committee held a series of brain-storming meetings. While all the sitting five MLAs of the party have been re-nominated, there are seven new faces in the fray. Four among them came from IYFT, youth organisation and one from TYKS, employees? body of the INPT.
There is, however, no representation in the 16 seats from the women wing of the party though Rabindra Debbarma said, the matter is still ?under consideration?. Former director of Akashvani Agartala Kendra NC Debbarma, a leader of the INPT?s employees wing, has got nomination to contest from Charilam seat edging out his contender Mangal Debbarma. The most significant drop in this list was perhaps former chief executive member of the ADC Debabrata Koloy. He was a strong aspirant for Ampi seat against Nagendra Jamatia. On the other hand IYFT leader Mebar Jamatia failed to make it through in Krihnapur seat as Sabda Kumar Jamata, a senior INPT functionary figured in the candidate list from the seat. As far as Asharambari and Jolaibari seats are concerned, the party faces a piquant situation.
Sources said INPT leader Amiya Debbarma was keen to contest from Promodenagar seat. But the party decided to bring. Animesh Debbarma, general secretary of the IYFT, there and offered Amiya Debbarma Asharambari seat. Peeved at the denial of Promodenagar, Amiya Debbarma declined to contest the election from Asharambari. Since there is no representation from the student organisation, now the INPT election committee is keen to nominate a leader from its student organisation TSF, either of the two vice presidents of the wing Subodh Debbarma or Mangal Debbarma. Sources said, none of them is also ready to contest from Asharambari seat.
In Jolaibari, the INPT is apprehending ?sabotage? from tribal leaders of the Congress and from this seat also none is ready to join the fray. First choice was Jyotish Tripura and he declined. Then the offer went to senior party leader Gaurishankar Reang. He is also not ready as the fear of an ?independent? candidate from Congress tribal cell looms large. At last the INPT election committee asked its women wing IWOT to find a candidate for the seat. If the differences are settled then in all likelihood TSF and IWOT representatives would get berth in the INPT?s full list which is expected within days.