Royal scion Kriti Singh Debbarma files candidature for Tripura East LS seat 

Agartala, March 28 (IANS) Ruling BJP candidate and scion of Tripura's erstwhile royal dynasty, Kriti Singh Debbarma submitted her nomination paper for the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat on Thursday, the first day of filling of nominations for the second phase of the parliamentary elections.  

Debbarma, the younger daughter of late Maharaja Kriti Bikram Kishore Manikya Deb Barman, was accompanied by Chief Minister Manik Saha, her brother and Tipra Motha Party supremo and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman and other leaders.

She submitted her nomination papers to Dhalai District Magistrate Saju Vaheed A.

Talking to the media, CM Saha said that the BJP will win both Tripura West and Tripura East seats with a record margin.

The TMP chief, while addressing the gathering, fired salvos at the opposition Congress and CPI-M for criticising his party for allying with the BJP.

"I was in Congress, and so were my parents and my sister (Pragya Kumari Deb Barman). I had said we would ally with anyone who gives us assurance in writing over the welfare and development of Tripura. We got written assurance (tripartite accord) and we allied."

Attacking the Left, he said: "They (communists) deprived the tribals, suppressed them for 25 years. And now, they (Congress) have sacrificed the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat to communists. What is this? Both Congress and the Left parties believe in 'raajneeti', but we believe in 'kaajneeti' (policy of working) for the tribal community."

Tripura West and East Tripura East (reserved for the tribals) – would go to polling in two phases -- on April 19 and on April 26.

Former Tripura Chief Minister and BJP nominee Biplab Kumar Deb on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Tripura West seat, and so did state Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha, who is the consensus candidate of the opposition INDIA bloc.

Altogether nine candidates submitted their nominations from the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat. Eight parties of the opposition INDIA bloc nominated former CPI-M MLA Rajendra Reang for the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat.