Political activities in Tripura have intensified ahead of the upcoming Village Committee (VC) elections, with major political parties working to finalise their electoral strategies and alliance positions.

CPI(M) Tripura State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has made it clear that the party will not enter into any electoral understanding with the Congress for the upcoming Village Committee elections. Instead, the CPI(M) will contest the polls in alliance with the CPI(ML).

Chaudhury said the Left parties are giving priority to greater coordination at the grassroots level. He said the Left Front would focus its campaign on the rights, development and day-to-day problems of people living in the state’s tribal areas.

According to him, various demands and grievances of ordinary people would be among the major issues in the electoral campaign.

Asked about the possibility of an alliance with the Congress, Chaudhury said that no discussions had taken place with the party regarding seat-sharing or an electoral pact. He also questioned the Congress’s organisational strength in the hill and tribal-dominated areas, claiming that the party does not have a strong organisational base there.

The CPI(M)’s position indicates that the Left Front intends to strengthen unity among Left parties while maintaining its distance from the Congress. The strategy is aimed at putting up a united political challenge against the BJP and other regional forces in the VC elections.

Issues such as development in tribal areas, rights of indigenous people, employment, public services and problems related to local administration are expected to remain at the centre of the Left campaign.

Political observers believe the CPI(M)’s announcement could lead to a new alignment in Tripura’s opposition politics ahead of the Village Committee elections. With the positions of different parties on alliances, seat-sharing and organisational arrangements expected to become clearer in the coming days, the electoral contest in the tribal areas could become increasingly competitive.