Amid the novel coronavirus situation, political parties have stepped up activities keeping an eye on the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) likely to take place by the end of this year. The five-year term of the last executive committee had expired in May last, but the election timetable could not be announced due to the pandemic.
The TTAADC has been under the authority of an administrator appointed by the Governor.
Official sources said the elections would be held this year though modalities were yet to be finalised. They said the upcoming session of Parliament is expected to give assent to a bill to upgrade the TTAADC as territorial council which has been a long-standing demand of the indigenous political parties and forums.
Demand conceded
The BJP-led coalition government of the State and the Centre have conceded the demand.
Both the BJP and its coalition partner Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) have been consolidating bases in the tribal areas while the Opposition CPI(M) is desperate to improve its strength. The Congress is largely dependent on its alliance partner Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT).
But the IPFT is blamed for fuelling tension in some interior places over the past two weeks. Several people were wounded and some houses burnt in sporadic incidents which the police said had been brought under control.
Election to the tribal council was an important issue in the State executive meeting of the BJP that was held here on Sunday. Party general secretary and in-charge for northeast Ajay Jamwal, who arrived on Saturday, attended the meeting.
He shared dais with Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarman and State chief Manik Saha.
Declare polling dates: Congress
The Congress demanded that the State government should approach the State Election Commission to declare polling dates for the TTAADC. PCC president Pijush Biswas raised the demand at a press conference after holding a meeting with senior party leaders on Sunday.
The TTAADC was constituted with three fourth land and one fourth population of the State under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
