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Tripura has set another bench-mark of sorts as nearly 55 percent of the voters who cast their votes were women, far above the average for other states. The state has an electorate of 20, 35,877 with cent percent photo identity card and photo electoral roll. Another interesting fact that has come out this time is that out of the total 313 candidates in the fray, about 10 percent of the candidates were women and that figure is higher than in other states where the average number of female candidates is around seven to eight percent. Interestingly when asked, most of the voters said that adequate security forces were there and so they felt safe and secure hence more women, unlike earlier years, this time came out of their houses to cast their vote. While others felt that the state is gradually achieving cent percent literacy and the women folk are also not lagging behind. The presence of the large number of women shows that now women here are also the decision makers.
Another oddity is that the opposition Congress has been repeatedly throwing accusations in public rallies. Their claim is that the Left ruled Tripura has developed in one sphere and at present ranks the highest in India when it comes to the rate of crimes against women. Now the actual factor is yet to be found as there is a saying that ‘weather and women are unpredictable’ but these women folk are surely this time the deciding factor in the return to Chief Ministership of Mr. Manik Sarkar.
In the past, Tripura has seen a contest between the ruling Left combine and the opposition Congress, which has forged an alliance with the predominantly tribal party, the INPT. The Left, led by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been in power since 1993 and went all out to retain power in the state but this time the Forward Block on demand for more seats has deserted the Left Front.
Tripura has been the only stronghold of the Left in the Northeast. For the first time in over 25 years, insurgency is not an election issue, development is. On the contrary, the opposition Congress projected the misuse and thieving of central fund as a key poll issue in Tripura. Several national figures such as Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, CPIM Politburo members Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sitaram Yechuri and West Bengal Chief Minister Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharjee campaigned here for their parties. For Congress, after losing in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Tripura is the place to show that it is reviving its popularity. The Left is serious about continuing to hold power in the state as its presence other than in Tripura is felt only in West Bengal and Kerala.
This time, the election was totally incident free and many factors have jointly accounted for it. The Union Government had deployed 20,000 paramilitary personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to keep a check on insurgency and maintain security. A record 60,000 security personnel have been deployed backed by air surveillance to ensure free and fair polls. Moreover, apart from the large number of surrendered militants in response to the union government rehabilitation package, for the first time around 85 percent of the 856 km Indo-Bangladesh border though which the militants shuttled for conducting their activities has been fenced and so movement is not as free as it was earlier.
The Election Commission had deployed for the first time 750 micro observers to assist 60 general observers in overseeing the election process. The ruling CPI (M) - led Left Front is locked in a direct fight with the opposition Congress-Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) alliance. In 2003, the Left Front won 41 seats, the Congress 13 and its ally INPT six. The counting of ballots for the 60-member Assembly will take place from 8 a. m. on March 7 simultaneously at 19 counting centers for all seats results are expected to be declared by 11 a. m.
Another oddity is that the opposition Congress has been repeatedly throwing accusations in public rallies. Their claim is that the Left ruled Tripura has developed in one sphere and at present ranks the highest in India when it comes to the rate of crimes against women. Now the actual factor is yet to be found as there is a saying that ‘weather and women are unpredictable’ but these women folk are surely this time the deciding factor in the return to Chief Ministership of Mr. Manik Sarkar.
In the past, Tripura has seen a contest between the ruling Left combine and the opposition Congress, which has forged an alliance with the predominantly tribal party, the INPT. The Left, led by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been in power since 1993 and went all out to retain power in the state but this time the Forward Block on demand for more seats has deserted the Left Front.
Tripura has been the only stronghold of the Left in the Northeast. For the first time in over 25 years, insurgency is not an election issue, development is. On the contrary, the opposition Congress projected the misuse and thieving of central fund as a key poll issue in Tripura. Several national figures such as Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, CPIM Politburo members Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sitaram Yechuri and West Bengal Chief Minister Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharjee campaigned here for their parties. For Congress, after losing in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Tripura is the place to show that it is reviving its popularity. The Left is serious about continuing to hold power in the state as its presence other than in Tripura is felt only in West Bengal and Kerala.
This time, the election was totally incident free and many factors have jointly accounted for it. The Union Government had deployed 20,000 paramilitary personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to keep a check on insurgency and maintain security. A record 60,000 security personnel have been deployed backed by air surveillance to ensure free and fair polls. Moreover, apart from the large number of surrendered militants in response to the union government rehabilitation package, for the first time around 85 percent of the 856 km Indo-Bangladesh border though which the militants shuttled for conducting their activities has been fenced and so movement is not as free as it was earlier.
The Election Commission had deployed for the first time 750 micro observers to assist 60 general observers in overseeing the election process. The ruling CPI (M) - led Left Front is locked in a direct fight with the opposition Congress-Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) alliance. In 2003, the Left Front won 41 seats, the Congress 13 and its ally INPT six. The counting of ballots for the 60-member Assembly will take place from 8 a. m. on March 7 simultaneously at 19 counting centers for all seats results are expected to be declared by 11 a. m.
Chandana Bhowmik
