Tripura elections: A look at the election manifesto of the major parties in race

Tripura ndash a state in Indiarsquos northeast sharing border with neighboring Bangladesh ndash is all set for Assembly elections on Thursday February 16 The preparations are on with poll officialsrsquo rush to 3337 polling stations from different parts of the BJPruled stateAs many as 259 candidates are in race for polls to the 60member Tripura Assembly In the major political race the parties ndash BJPIPFT combine CPIMCongress alliance and Tipra Motha ndash are at the forefrontBharatiya Janata Party has fielded candidates in 55 seats IPFT ndash BJPrsquos ally ndash is contesting in six constituencies However there will be a friendly fight in one seatThe CPIM and Congress are contesting 47 and 13 seats respectively while Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 42 seats The Trinamool Congress is contesting in 28 constituencies The number of independent candidates ran up to 58Amid the highvoltage election aura the political parties and their candidates made many electoral promises This piece delves into what these parties have in the lsquocartrsquo for the commoners in Tripura amid this assembly electionThe Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday promised greater autonomy for tribal areas an increase in farmers monetary assistance and industryspecific manufacturing zones based on rubber if it returns to power for the second time in a row in TripuraBJP president JP Nadda also announced a Rs 5 meal scheme for all named after religious guru Anukul Chandra and setting up a Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in AgartalaBJPrsquos manifesto said that Balika Samridddhi bond of Rs 50000 will be given to every girl child while the tribal language Kokborok will become subjects in CBSE and ICSE curriculaWe will set up industryspecific manufacturing zones based on rubber Agar and bamboo The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi of Rs 6000 will be raised with the state government providing Rs 2000 more BJP President JP Nadda had saidNadda had also said that if voted back to power the BJP will give greater autonomy including more legislative executive and financial powers for tribal areasThe Congress manifesto for the Tripura Assembly election promised old pension scheme for government employees 50000 new jobs increase in wages of agricultural labourers and free 150 units of electricity if the party is voted to powerDuring the release of the Congress manifesto senior leader and lone party MLA Sudip Roy Barman said a 20point programme has been chalked out keeping in mind the welfare of poor and middle class peopleIn the manifesto the party has focussed on employment welfare of employees poor and middle class people he saidEmployment in the government sector will be done on a regular basis he said adding that 50000 job opportunities will be created in the next five yearThe wages of tea garden agricultural labourers and other labourers will be increased based on the consumer price index he said adding integrated package would be given for socio economic development of minority peopleAlso read Tripura Election The real fight this time is for democracy civil liberties says Manik SarkarRoy Barman said a realistic approach will be made to solve the problem of 10323 retrenched teachers and SSA teachers will be given better remuneration The Congress also favours empowerment of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council TTAADC by amending 125th ConstitutionThe party also promised to provide free 150 units of electricity to the people by preventing pilferage and transmission loss he said adding that the law and order will be dealt with an iron handThe CPIMled Left Front promised 25 lakh new jobs pension to poor senior citizens and reintroduction of the old pension scheme and two DA hikes for government employees every year if it is voted to powerIn the 15page manifesto it also promised the reinstatement of 10323 retrenched teachers regularisation of services of contractual employees and more autonomy to the tribal councilAddressing a press conference Left Front convener Narayan Kar alleged that democracy was throttled in Tripura after the BJP came to power in 2018Voting rights of people have been snatched away under the BJPIPFT regime while peoples liberty to raise their voice has been lost The Left Front will restore the democratic values once it wins the elections he saidWe will create 25 lakh jobs during the next five years if the Left Front secures the blessing of the people he said adding that contractual employees will also be regularised as per the guidelinesAny person whose age is over 60 years and has an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh will get social pension Kar saidThe Left Front will also increase the dearness allowance DA of government employees twice a year based on the consumer price index and reintroduce the old pension scheme he saidThe Left Front also promised 200day work per year to the poor to boost the rural economy Kar said the Left Front will provide high level of autonomy for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council TTAADCTrinamool Congress in its manifesto promised 2 lakh new jobs Rs 1000 annual stipend for school students in classes 4 to 8 and the same amount per month for unemployed youths and social welfare schemes on the lines of those in West BengalWest Bengal education minister Bratya Basu said that if the party is voted to power in Tripura it will create 2 lakh jobs in five years with 50000 new jobs in the first year itselfAll vacant posts in the government departments will be filled up on mission mode he said The TMC will provide assistance of Rs 1000 per month to jobless youths and 10323 retrenched teachers will also get the benefit until their legal matter is resolved he saidThe TMC promised a skill university student credit cards and easy loans for those who want to pursue higher education Rs 1000 annual stipend will be given to the students in classes 4 to 8 he saidWest Bengal Industries Minister Shashi Panja said the Trinamool Congress is committed to implement welfare schemes such as Kanyashri and Lakkhir Bhandar among others in the Northeastern stateTipra Motha in its Manifesto promised to fight for Greater Tipraland besides a police force for the tribal council 20000 new jobs and a onetime package for militants who surrenderTipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma said nontribals living in the tribal council area will not be forced out and Rs 25000 per month will be given to all samajpatis of the indigenous tribesTipra Motha is fully committed to the core ideological demand of a permanent constitutional solution for the indigenous people of Tripura and until its not achieved we shall continue to fight for the rights of our people he saidThe manifesto proposed a Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council TTAADC Police Bill for a police force under its administration Around 6000 youths will be recruited for itDebbarma said land rights will be given to the people who have not got it yet if his party is voted to power He also promised to set up a Manipuri Welfare Board for the development of the communityCompiled with inputs from PTI