The Left Front in Tripura on Monday announced that it will contest all 28 seats in the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections. The party also unveiled the names of 28 candidates, including 22 newcomers.

In addition, the Left Front declared its candidate for the Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency, which fell vacant following the death of former Speaker and MLA Biswabandhu Sen last month.

Addressing the media, Left Front convener Manik Dey highlighted that in 1990, 2000, and 2021, the council had been won by other parties, though not through what he described as the people’s mandate.

“At other times, the Left was in power in the ADC. This election is crucial, and we will fight strongly. Today, we have announced our candidate list. Corruption is rampant under the current ruling party, and pension payments to retirees remain unpaid,” Dey said.

He further alleged that the district council was riddled with massive scams. “The state of education is poor, drinking water shortages are severe, and hunger persists. Children are being sold, and deaths are occurring due to starvation. When the Left was in power, it set a benchmark with its governance,” he added.

Demanding free and fair elections, Dey claimed that elections have not been conducted properly since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state.

Jitendra Chaudhury, the Leader of the Opposition in Tripura, who attended the press conference, accused state ministers of being aware of corruption and irregularities in the district council.

“Under the guise of development, looting is taking place in the district council,” he said. Chaudhury added that the Left Front candidates were selected after a rigorous evaluation, considering experience, educational qualifications, and youth representation.