Agartala, Nov 2 : The Left Front and Congress have reached a seat-sharing understanding in 26 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) ahead of the upcoming civic elections, with negotiations underway to finalise arrangements in the remaining constituencies, a senior CPI(M) leader said.
Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said candidates backed by the Left Front had already started filing nomination papers in the 26 wards where an understanding had been reached.
Discussions with Congress leaders are continuing to settle the remaining seats and finalise the alliance arrangement before the nomination process ends, he said.
According to Chaudhury, the two parties are working towards a mutually acceptable formula for the unresolved wards. The Left Front is expected to contest some of these constituencies, while Congress may field candidates in most of the others.
He expressed confidence that the pending issues would be resolved after Congress leaders return from Delhi, allowing the two parties to formally announce their final seat-sharing arrangement in the coming days.
The proposed understanding may also extend beyond Agartala, with the opposition parties exploring similar cooperation in elections to other municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats across Tripura.
The move is part of an effort by the two opposition formations to coordinate their electoral strategy and challenge the ruling BJP-led alliance in urban local body elections.
Outlining the proposed campaign agenda, Chaudhury said the alliance would focus on restoring democratic practices, addressing corruption and ensuring better delivery of civic services.
He said urban residents were primarily concerned about basic municipal amenities and the functioning of civic bodies, and that the opposition would highlight issues affecting their daily lives.
The CPI(M) leader also criticised the ruling establishment, alleging that its claims of development had not translated into adequate benefits for ordinary citizens. The opposition would seek to highlight the gap between official claims and ground realities during the campaign, he said.
With nomination filing underway and negotiations in their final phase, the remaining wards are expected to be central to the seat-sharing discussions.
The final arrangement will determine the distribution of candidates between the two parties and the shape of their joint electoral challenge in Agartala.
