AGARTALA: BJP’s national president J P Nadda on Thursday unveiled the party’s election manifesto for a “unnato Tripura, shreshtho Tripura”, headlining it with a raft of welfare proposals such as special canteen meals to the poor three times a day at Rs 5 each, a Balika Samridddhi bond of Rs 50,000 to each underprivileged family on the birth of a girl child and scooters for meritorious college girls.
The manifesto also promises smartphones to 50,000 meritorious students, two free LPG cylinders to all beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, land deeds to those without any holdings, and an annual payout of Rs 3,000 to all landless farmers.
Tribal voters, on whom depends BJP’s prospects in the race for 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the 60-member House, get the promise of more autonomy in governance. There are already stirrings of discontent in the BJP-governed northeastern state’s tribal belt, with some groups demanding a separate state.
Going by previous election outcomes, the party that wins the majority of these reserved seats goes on to form the government. BJP had won 10 of the 20 tribal seats in 2018, helping it topple the Left Front in its citadel after 25 years. In 2013, the Left Front won 19 seats and formed its fourth successive government in succession.
BJP’s bugbear this time could be royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma’s TIPRA Motha, which is seeking a separate state for the native tribals. Two years ago, BJP had tasted defeat at the hands of TIPRA Motha in the tribal autonomous district council election.
BJP has promised if voted to government again, it would “restructure” the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council with greater autonomy and additional legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers. Tripura goes to polls on February 16.
The manifesto also promises smartphones to 50,000 meritorious students, two free LPG cylinders to all beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, land deeds to those without any holdings, and an annual payout of Rs 3,000 to all landless farmers.
Tribal voters, on whom depends BJP’s prospects in the race for 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the 60-member House, get the promise of more autonomy in governance. There are already stirrings of discontent in the BJP-governed northeastern state’s tribal belt, with some groups demanding a separate state.
Going by previous election outcomes, the party that wins the majority of these reserved seats goes on to form the government. BJP had won 10 of the 20 tribal seats in 2018, helping it topple the Left Front in its citadel after 25 years. In 2013, the Left Front won 19 seats and formed its fourth successive government in succession.
BJP’s bugbear this time could be royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma’s TIPRA Motha, which is seeking a separate state for the native tribals. Two years ago, BJP had tasted defeat at the hands of TIPRA Motha in the tribal autonomous district council election.
BJP has promised if voted to government again, it would “restructure” the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council with greater autonomy and additional legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers. Tripura goes to polls on February 16.