As Tripura gears up for the long‑awaited Village Committee elections on September 28, the ruling NDA alliance has sharpened its strategy to ensure that opposition parties do not gain ground. 

At a crucial meeting held in Dhalai district’s Manu block, attended by leaders of the BJP, Tipra Motha, and IPFT, state Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath declared that forces opposed to the NDA and to the state’s development agenda would not be allowed “a single vote or a single seat.”

The meeting brought together representatives from Naithungchhara, Kanchanchhara, and West Machhli village councils, with senior leaders including BJP vice‑president Tapas Bhattacharjee, IPFT minister Sukla Charan Noatia, Tipra Motha MLA Paul Dangshu, MDC Rabindra Debbarma, and MDC Hollywood Chakma. Nath also held a separate organisational meeting with BJP workers in Ambassa earlier in the day.

Highlighting the importance of the polls, Nath noted that the Village Committee elections are being held after a gap of ten years. Unlike assembly elections conducted through EVMs, these grassroots polls will be conducted via ballot papers, making the process more complex. He described the elections as the most vital exercise at the local level, directly shaping governance at the community tier.

Reflecting on past strategies, Nath recalled that during the TTAADC elections, the three parties had contested separately. This time, however, the NDA partners have chosen to fight jointly, projecting unity as representatives of the state government. He admitted that seat‑sharing arrangements had left some gaps, but said the meeting was convened to identify and resolve those issues.

Nath stressed that the alliance’s primary goal is to prevent opposition parties—whether Congress, CPI(M), or any other group opposed to the NDA’s development agenda—from gaining public support. He argued that while some parties cling to ideologies like capitalism or communism, the NDA’s focus is on development and welfare of the most marginalised sections of society.

He added, “We are not bound by any rigid ideology. Our commitment is to ensure progress for the last person in society. Those who oppose the people’s interest and the state’s development must not secure votes or seats in this election.”

The meeting underscored the NDA’s determination to consolidate its position at the grassroots level, with leaders pledging coordinated efforts to counter opposition influence and maintain organisational strength across Tripura’s villages.