Two women among four contenders in Tripura assembly by-poll

 Four candidates, including two women, have filed their nomination papers for the September 23 by-election to the Badharghat reserved assembly constituency in western Tripura, an official said here on Wednesday, which was the last date for filing nominations.

In a four-cornered electoral fight, the by-poll would be contested between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Mimi Majumder, the opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Front nominee Bulti Biswas, Congress aspirant Ratan Chandra Das and SUCI (C) contestant Mridul Kanti Sarkar. 

The Returning Officer of the Badharghat assembly by-election, Tarun Debbarma, said that the scrutiny of nominations will take place on Thursday and the last date of withdrawal of nominations is Saturday. 

Around 58,400 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the by-poll on September 23. Counting of votes will take place on September 27.

The by-election to Badharghat seat, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP legislator Dilip Sarkar. A former five-time Congress legislator, Sarkar, who joined the BJP in 2017 along with seven other Congress MLAs, died on April 1 after a prolonged illness.IANS