Tripura VC election results reject CPI-M, Congress ideology: CM Manik Saha
Synopsis
Tripura's Village Committee elections handed the BJP-led NDA over 93% of 4,594 seats, with ally Tipra Motha Party alone claiming nearly 75%. CM Manik Saha called the result a categorical rejection of CPI-M and Congress ideology — and challenged the opposition to stop blaming EVMs and confront why voters are walking away.
Key Takeaways
Tripura CM Manik Saha declared on 6 October 2026 that VC poll results prove voters reject CPI-M and Congress ideology.
Of 4,594 seats in 587 Village Committees , Tipra Motha Party (TMP) won 3,428 seats (74.61%) and BJP won 859 seats (18.70%) .
The opposition CPI-M secured only 87 seats (1.89%) and Congress just 14 seats (0.30%) .
Elections were held on 28 September ; final results were declared early Tuesday, 6 October .
Saha criticised the opposition for blaming EVMs and the Election Commission following the defeat.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, declared that the outcome of the recently concluded Village Committee (VC) elections had firmly repudiated the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and the Congress, asserting that the people of the state had once again rejected their ideology. Speaking to reporters in Agartala, Saha pointed to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s near-total sweep of the polls as validation of his earlier forecast.
Key Election Results
Of the total 4,594 seats across 587 Village Committees, the BJP's tribal-based ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) emerged as the dominant force, winning 3,428 seats — accounting for 74.61 per cent of the total. The BJP itself secured 859 seats (18.70 per cent), while its other ally, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), won 33 seats (0.72 per cent). Combined, the NDA bloc claimed well over 90 per cent of seats. The opposition CPI-M managed only 87 seats (1.89 per cent), the Congress won a mere 14 seats (0.30 per cent), and Independents took 173 seats (3.77 per cent). The elections were held on 28 September, with final results declared in the early hours of Tuesday.
What CM Saha Said
Saha said he had predicted the NDA would win more than 90 per cent of seats, and the results had borne out that assessment. 'We went to the elections and got more than what we expected. This is good for Tripura, and in the future, we hope that we will work together in the plains and hills and for the development of Tripura,' he told the media.
Addressing the opposition directly, he added: 'I will tell the Opposition the same thing again and again: they need to think about why this is happening to them. So, of course, their thinking or the ideology they believe in — that people will not accept you in any situation — has been proven. It is being proven again and again.'
EVM Row and Opposition Criticism
Chief Minister Saha also took aim at the opposition's post-defeat practice of questioning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission (EC). He said the pattern had repeated itself after the VC results: 'Whenever they lose, they blame the EVMs and Election Commission. And they have repeated the same in the aftermath of the declaration of the VC elections.'
This is not the first time Tripura's opposition parties have raised EVM concerns following electoral reverses. Critics, however, argue that the opposition's inability to connect with tribal voters — who make up a substantial share of the state's electorate — is a structural challenge that goes beyond any grievance about voting machinery.
Significance and What Comes Next
The VC elections are a crucial grassroots layer of governance in Tripura, particularly in tribal belt areas. The TMP's dominant performance reinforces the alliance's hold on tribal constituencies, a key battleground ahead of future state assembly elections. Saha indicated the government intends to use this mandate to accelerate development initiatives across both the plains and the hills of the state. The opposition will need to reassess its outreach strategy if it is to mount any credible challenge in future contests.
Point of View
Which once governed the state for an unbroken 25 years, is now polling below 2% at the grassroots level; the Congress is barely registering at 0.30%. CM Saha's ideological framing is politically convenient, but the harder truth is that the opposition has failed to build credible local leadership or connect with the aspirations of tribal communities. Blaming EVMs after each loss only deepens that disconnect. The real question is whether any meaningful opposition can reconstitute itself before the next assembly cycle — or whether Tripura's competitive politics is fading into one-party dominance at every tier of governance.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the results of the Tripura Village Committee elections 2026?
In the Tripura Village Committee elections held on 28 September 2026, the BJP-led NDA won over 93% of 4,594 seats across 587 Village Committees. Ally Tipra Motha Party won 3,428 seats (74.61%), BJP won 859 seats (18.70%), and IPFT secured 33 seats (0.72%).
What did CM Manik Saha say about the election results?
Chief Minister Manik Saha said the results proved that people of Tripura were unwilling to accept CPI-M or Congress ideology, adding that this verdict had validated his earlier prediction of the NDA winning more than 90% of seats. He also called on the opposition to introspect rather than blame EVMs.
How did the CPI-M and Congress perform in the Tripura VC elections?
The CPI-M won only 87 seats, representing 1.89% of the total, while the Congress managed just 14 seats or 0.30%. Both parties suffered a significant setback at the grassroots level in the state.
Why did CM Saha criticise the opposition after the results?
Saha criticised the opposition for attributing their defeat to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission — a pattern, he said, that repeats after every electoral loss. He urged them to instead reflect on why voters were consistently rejecting them.
What is the significance of Village Committee elections in Tripura?
Village Committee elections represent a crucial tier of local self-governance in Tripura, especially in tribal areas. A strong NDA performance at this level consolidates the alliance's grassroots hold and signals its dominance ahead of future state assembly elections.
