Agartala, September 08, 2023: In a stunning electoral triumph, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura has emerged victorious in the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies in Sepahijala District, dealing a significant blow to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPIM. The election, held on September 5, witnessed a fierce battle between the arch-rivals, BJP and CPIM.
I thank the people of Boxanagar & Dhanpur assembly constituencies for this landslide victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in the bye-polls.
This victory represents the people's continuous faith in PM Shri @narendramodi Ji & @BJP4India President @JPNadda
Ji, We shall continue to… pic.twitter.com/uNXKy0Fn3r— Prof.(Dr.) Manik Saha (@DrManikSaha2) September 8, 2023
In Boxanagar, traditionally considered a stronghold of the Left parties, the BJP’s Tofajjal Hossain staged a remarkable comeback after facing defeat in the 2023 general elections. Hossain secured a resounding victory, amassing over 30,000 votes more than his rival, Mijan Hossain. The final tally showed Tofajjal Hossain with 33,849 votes while Mijan could only garner 3,718 votes. This electoral upset in Boxanagar signals a significant shift in the political landscape, with the opposition’s support base among the Minority Muslim-dominated constituency eroding rapidly. The demise of veteran CPIM leader Samsul Haque, elected in the March elections, further weakened the party’s influence in the area.
Meanwhile, in Dhanpur, voters reaffirmed their trust in the BJP for the second consecutive time in just six months. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik had made history as the first non-Left MLA to be elected from Dhanpur in six decades. However, Bhoumik had to resign from her post due to constitutional obligations, continuing her service as an MP from West Tripura, which paved the way for the by-polls. In this election, Bhoumik’s close confidante, Bindu Debnath, went head-to-head with CPIM’s Kaushik Chanda and emerged victorious with a substantial margin of votes.
On the other side of the political spectrum, the CPIM chose to boycott the counting process, alleging massive rigging. This defeat leaves the party, which had ruled the state for 25 years, with only ten MLAs in the state assembly, while the BJP’s tally has increased from 31 to 33, further solidifying their position in Tripura.
The BJP’s impressive wins in these constituencies are expected to have a significant impact on the state’s political landscape and set the stage for further developments in Tripura’s political arena.
