Selection of party candidates in Tripura begins

AGARTALA, July 31: The ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Congress and BJP began the process of selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura, . The Congress's main ally Tripura Upajati Juba Samity's meeting with the Nationalist Congress Party leader PA Sangma has been causing concern to the former. The TUJS had asked the Congress to allot the Tripura East (ST) seat to the tribal party. Its general secretary Rabindra Debbarma told newsmen here today that a delegation would soon visit New Delhi and meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi to stake a claim to the seat, reserved for tribals. Congress sources said the TUJS demand had already been communicated to the high command. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has decided to field two members of the dissolved Lok Sabha for the two seats. Party sources said its two-day state committee meeting which began here today would formally select its candidates. Congress sources said there were seven aspirants for the two seats. They include former chief minister Sudhir Ranjan Mazumder, former minister Ratan Chakraborty, senior lawyer Pijush Biswas, former MP Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi, Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore Debbarma and veteran tribal leader Jadu Mohan Tripura.