AGARTALA : The ruling BJP in Tripura won around 70 per cent of the seats in the state’s three-tier panchayat system uncontested, an official said on Tuesday. There are a total of 6,889 seats in the panchayat system, which comprises gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads, and the BJP won 4,805 seats uncontested, he said.

In the gram panchayats, BJP won 4,550 of the total 6,370 seats uncontested, meaning no polling will be held in 71 per cent seats. In the 1,819 gram panchayat seats where polling will be held, the BJP has candidates in 1,809 seats, the CPI(M) has fielded nominees in 1,222 and the Congress in 731 seats, State Election Commission (SEC) Secretary Asit Kumar Das said.

BJP ally Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 138 seats, he said. Election will not be held immediately in one seat in Maheskhala Panchayat in West Tripura district where the BJP candidate died, he added.

“In the panchayat samitis, BJP won 235 or 55 per cent of the total 423 seats uncontested. Polling will now be held for 188 seats,” Das said.

“The BJP has fielded candidates in all the 188 seats, while the CPI(M) and Congress have nominated candidates in 148 and 98 seats, respectively. The Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 11 seats,” he said.

Das said the BJP won 20 out of 116 zilla parishad seats uncontested, which is around 17 per cent.

The BJP has fielded candidates in all the 96 zilla parishad seats where polling will be held, while CPI(M) and Congress nominees are in the fray in 81 and 76 seats, respectively.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature was July 22, while polling is scheduled to be held on August 8. The votes will be counted on August 12. The BJP won 96 per cent of seats in the three-tier panchayat system unopposed in the last elections.