DHANPUR (TRIPURA)
The BJP is banking on Tripura’s first Union Minister, one of its 12 women candidates, to breach a ‘red fort’ that has been impregnable since 1972.
Unlike four other seats where Muslims are a deciding factor, the CPI(M) has never lost the Dhanpur Assembly seat bordering Bangladesh. It eventually became an iconic constituency, represented five times by four-time Chief Minister Manik Sarkar from 1998 to 2018.
The other four constituencies where the Muslim votes matter the most are the adjoining Sonamura, Boxanagar, Kailashahar and Bishalgarh.
Mr. Sarkar opted out of the race this time to “convey the message that the CPI(M) has space for new faces, newer ideas”.
His absence has made the BJP supporters optimistic that their candidate and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Pratima Bhoumik would get past the CPI(M)’s Kaushik Chanda. The contest is largely seen as bipolar although the TIPRA Motha has fielded Amiya Dayal Noatia, a tribal, and the Trinamool Congress has set up Habil Miah. Two Independents are in the fray too.
“Didi [Ms. Bhoumik] did the unthinkable by reducing Manik babu’s vote share in 2018. She will do the unthinkable again by winning Dhanpur,” Chanchal Das, a resident on the banks of the Gomati said.
The largest river in the State, Gomati flows through Dhanpur before entering Bangladesh. It used to be the pre-1947 lifeline that once made Tripura prosperous.
“We are committed to implementing [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi ji’s dream of changing Tripura and the rest of India. We are ensuring last-mile delivery of all services that the Left Front did not do from 2014 to 2018. Modi ji’s vision to empower women will stand us in good stead,” Ms. Bhoumik, the first graduate from her village Bornarayan and one of the oldest BJP members in the State, said.
Terming the Left Front-Congress alliance as a sign of weakness, she said the BJP has the “blessings” of women – half of Dhanpur’s voters. Contrary to common perception, the Muslims have faith in her party because the BJP governments at the Centre and in Tripura provided them all the services without any discrimination, she claimed.
Ms. Bhowmik cited the case of Md. Moboshar Ali, who quit as the CPI(M) legislator to become the BJP’s candidate for the Kailashahar seat, also bordering Bangladesh.
Mr. Sarkar said his decision not to contest would not be an advantage for the BJP. “I may not be a candidate but I am very much contesting for all our candidates and our seat-sharing pact with Congress will pay off,” he told The Hindu.
TIPRA Motha’s Mr. Noatia is also hoping to cash in on the “groundswell” of support for Bubagra (king, party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma). He is counting on the Muslims, besides the Noatia tribe whose population is 14,298, according to the 2011 Census.
