TIPRA pushes for symbol-less local body elections in Tripura
The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) chairman Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, on December 17, proposed that political parties must go symbol-less in the local body elections in Tripura in order to avoid political conflicts.
Pradyot’s proposal came after he was heckled while controlling political violence at Khumulwng, the headquarters of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), on December 16.
The TIPRA chief was attending the first day of the two-day special session of the district council where he cited examples from rural polls in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and other North-Eastern states where elections were held without symbols.
“In many states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh rural elections are held without any political symbol. When you bring political symbols in the village council elections, you create political divides within the village. So, I feel in the name of brotherhood and peace, we should adopt this strategy of having no political symbols to avoid all political violence,” Pradyot said during the session.
In this regard, Pradyot has also sought cooperation and support from the opposition led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the unique move, so that the culture of political clashes could be averted.
“The elections are mandatory to ensure fund flow. If the BJP agrees, we shall adopt this unique way of holding the elections and let the village councils be formed in a proper democratic way,” he said.
According to Pradyot, there are 587 village councils and the tenure of these bodies had expired long back, but the polls could not be conducted due to Covid-19.
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