Agartala: The stage is set for by-election to two schedule caste reserved seats in Tripura Saturday with all major political parties of the state contesting the polls.
50,018 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fortune of five candidates in the Pratapgarh constituency of West Tripura district, while 42,052 electors will resolve the fate of four aspirants in Surma constituency in Dhalai district.
The Pratapgarh seat fell vacant due to the death of CPI(M) veteran and former minister Anil Sarkar and by-poll was necessitated for the Surma seat as its sitting MLA Sudhir Das died.
Sarkar won from his constituency for eight times at a stretch since 1978 and Das won the Surma seat on five consecutive occasions since 1993.
The ruling CPI(M), opposition Congress and BJP have fielded their candidates and all are hopeful of winning the seats.
Chief Minister and CPI(M) Politburo member Manik Sarkar, state Congress chief Birojit Sinha, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly (Congress) Sudip Roy Barman and state BJP president Sudhindra Dasgupta addressed a number of public meetings in both Pratapgarh and Surma Assembly constituencies.
Local issues like construction of new roads and setting up schools and market places dominated the poll pledges of the candidates.
The Police said, adequate measures have been taken to make the polls peaceful.
