From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has looked up to the wisdom and experience of its veteran leader in the Northeast and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for guiding the party into the forthcoming battle of ballots in the Left-ruled Tripura. The Assembly election in the bordering state is likely to be held in February.
The AICC leadership has entrusted Tarun Gogoi who led Congress to three consecutive victories in Assam polls since 2001, to help the party shortlist its prospective poll candidates for the forthcoming Assembly polls.
Gogoi has been made the chairman of the scrutiny committee for selection of Congress candidates. Congress faces an uphill task against ruling Left Front in Tripura where Left Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been ruling comfortably since 1993 without a break
A team of senior Congress leaders from Tripura led by the Tripura PCC president Sudip Roy came to Guwahati to have a meeting with Tarun Gogoi for short listing of party poll candidates. The list of prospective party candidates is being submitted to the party’s central leadership for the final say.
Tripura is the only state in the country that is now ruled by the Left. Ruling Left Front in Tripura comprising CPI-M, CPI, RSP have 49 legislators in the 60-member Tripura Assembly while Congress has ten. Out of the Left Front MLAs, 43 are from the CPI-M.
The Congress last ruled Tripura during 1988-1993. In the last Assembly election it polled 46 per cent votes though it finally won only ten seats. In twenty odd seats Congress candidates were defeated by Left Front candidates by less than 1100 votes.
The Left Front over the years has consolidated its base in tribal areas and among the minority voters comprising 15 per cent of the total electorate while anti-incumbency factor may play spoil sport for the ruling formation in urban areas inhabited by educated voters.