Agartala, March 27, 2024: The INDIA Bloc’s show of strength fell short of expectations during the filing of nomination papers for the West Tripura Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday. The party’s candidate, Asish Kumar Saha, found himself trailing behind his BJP counterpart, Biplab Kumar Deb, in terms of crowd support.

Ashish Kumar Saha submitted his nomination papers to District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar amidst a procession on the streets. The event saw the presence of several notable figures including MLA Sudip Roy Barman, Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, former Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar, and Ramnagar by-election candidate Ratan Das, along with Szarita Laitphlang and other activists and supporters.

However, the crowd turnout post the filing of nomination papers was not as anticipated, putting Ashish Kumar Saha at a disadvantage in the Lok Sabha elections. The procession saw the presence of many workers and supporters, but the absence of All India Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar was notably felt.

Ashish Kumar Saha, the INDIA Bloc candidate, claimed that the administration had denied permission for Kanhaiya Kumar’s visit to the state. He alleged a deep-seated conspiracy behind this decision. However, no official statement or clarification has been received from the administration regarding this matter.