With Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging BJP-ruled states to focus on policies and welfare measures for women, a section that has backed the saffron party in electoral battles, the party is looking to highlight these initiatives in Tripura where it aims to return to power following next year’s Assembly elections. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said the BJP's main rival in the state would be the Left, which has been weakened by internal rifts and its failure in retaining its traditional support base. Deb has ruled out the Trinamool Congress, which has been making attempts to expand its base by induction of established leaders from other parties. 🗞️ Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️ “With the successful implementation of the welfare schemes and good governance, the BJP has weakened the entire opposition. There is no threat to us as such, but the Left parties, whatever remains of them, are the principal opposition for us,” Deb, who was in the national capital, said. The Chief Minister added that through a series of programmes and initiatives, the government has “made significant” changes in the lives of women in the state. The main highlight of the campaign will be the government's move to reserve 33 per cent of jobs for women in all state government jobs. The state government had come up with initiatives and action plans on health and nutrition, education and economic sectors while ensuring effective interventions in eliminating violence against women. “Women were also appointed in key positions in sectors like law and order. This was meant to inspire confidence in them so that they are not confined to traditional jobs,” Deb said. Tripura's initiatives come in the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi identifying women as a significant voter base for the BJP. In his address to the party workers across the state on the BJP Foundation Day earlier this month, Modi has said that the government’s policies and welfare measures for women have given them fresh confidence and they started supporting the BJP in electoral battles. “With the Dalits, weaker, backwards, and youth, women also joined in supporting the BJP. We have seen this in the recent elections—women were at the forefront in voting for the BJP. Women have been given new rights, good governance has given them security and keeping their health in mind, there are schemes for providing them gas connection, free ration and health benefits,” he has said. BJP sources said that in the states that are going to the polls in the near future, including Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh (later this year), Karnataka and Tripura (early next year), the party has given special directions to focus on women-oriented schemes and programmes. The Tripura Chief Minister said: “We have made the Public Distribution System (PDS) stronger and more items have been added since our government took over,” he said. The BJP which came into power in 2018 and formed an alliance with the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) recently received another boost to influence the 31.78 per cent tribal votes in the state when Tripura People's Front, another indigenous political group – merged with the party last month. Although there have been some hiccups in the BJP's alliance with IPFT, party leaders said the BJP is likely to fight the elections with the tribal party.
