As election fever grips Northeast, PM Modi leads BJP's campaign in Tripura

Agartala: As election fever grips the poll-bound states in the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to lead the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) campaign in Tripura on Thursday. The state will go to polls in a single phase on February 18, 2018.

With election pundits are expecting a close contest between the ruling Left Front and the saffron party, BJP high command is leaving no stones unturned to woo the voters of Tripura. 

The Prime Minister will address two public rallies near border areas – Sipahijala and Kailashahar.

Giving details of Modi's itinerary, programme manager and Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly Biswarup Bhattacharya said the PM will arrive at Agartala airport in a chartered plane on Thursday morning, and from there, he would fly to Sonamura of Sipahijala district in an IAF helicopter.

A public rally has been organised at Rangamati Madrassa school ground in Sipahijala, Bhattacharya said. PM Modi will then go to Kailashahar in Unakoti district to address a public meet at Ramkrishna Mahavidyalaya stadium in the second half of the day.

A massive layer of security blanket has been thrown across the state in view of PM Modi's visit, with central and state paramilitary forces deployed at several places.

Joining the motion of thanks to President's address in Parliament, the Prime Minister on Wednesday said that the BJP-led government has prioritised the development of Northeast states since they came into power.

 

The eastern parts of India have to develop and that is why more resources are being devoted towards these states: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2018

Meanwhile, state BJP said it does not support the demand for a separate state by dividing Tripura, and its alliance with the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura's (IPFT) for the upcoming Assembly polls was on the basis of a common minimum programme.

Leaders of the ruling CPI(M) had accused the BJP of supporting the IPFT statehood demand while campaigning.

With agency inputs