Polling begins for by-elections to 4 Tripura assembly seats

Chief minister Manik Saha, who replaced Biplab Dev in May and needs to be elected to the assembly within six months to stay in office, is among those contesting the polls

By-elections to four of Tripura’s assembly constituencies began on Thursday morning. Twenty-two candidates from seven political parties are contesting the by-polls to Agartala, Town Bordowali, Surma, and Yubrajnagar.

(AFP)

Six candidates each are contesting Agartala and Town Bordowali assembly constituencies while five candidates each are hoping to wrest Surma and Jubarajnagar seats.

Chief minister Manik Saha, who replaced Biplab Dev in May and needs to be elected to the assembly within six months to stay in office, is among those contesting the Town Bordowali seat.

As many as 1,89,032 voters are eligible to vote at 221 polling stations. Officials said that 25 companies of central security forces have been deployed for the by-polls They added that 148 polling stations have been categorised as “normal”, 59 “vulnerable”, and 10 “critical” and “vulnerable”.