Tripura Election 2018: 5 reasons behind BJP's historic win

From a paltry 1.5% in 2013, getting only 33,000 votes across the state in 2013, what resulted in this sensational win for BJP just five years later? Many factors amalgamated to result in an unprecedented saffron surge, which has eclipsed its success in other states. 

1. Anti-incumbency with the Left:

There has always been a prominent anti-Left vote in Tripura to the tune of 45%. All BJP did was to give it voice, energy to galvanise more prominently, to manifest its power in the ground.

In that regard, it mimicked what Mamata did to Left in Bengal.

To beat them at their own game by building a rock-solid organisation was the brainchild of Amit Shah, Biplab Deb, Subal Kumar Bhowmick and other state leaders who upped the ante against Left in a coordinated manner slowly gaining confidence of the people. The issues like lack of job, non-implementation of 7th Pay Commission and lack of proper representation of tribals were prominently highlighted. 

2. En masse shifting of vote base of Congress

Congress got 36.5% of votes in 2013, winning 10 seats. This time though it has been wiped off from the electoral map getting only 1.8% of the votes. This is owing to Congress central leadership's absolute disinterest in properly helming Tripura matters and BJP's uncanny ability to poach the leaders. The entire top brass of Congress thus migrated to the BJP bringing their followers with them. It helped increase BJP's credibility, a hitherto unknown commodity in Tripura's landscape.

3. The untiring election machinery of BJP

BJP in North-East has been guided by two leading lights- NEDA Chairman Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP senior leader Ram Madhav. Along with Sunil Deodhar, they were really the men of the match of this election. They believed in the cause when most thought Tripura is a foregone conclusion for BJP. The normal leitmotif of polarising elections which can be used in Hindi heartland couldn't be used here, hence BJP's win is even more spectacular. 

4. Alliance with IPTF

There are 20 tribal seats which are reserved for the ST community in Tripura. Earlier it used to be a fiefdom of the Left and they won it without breaking a sweat. BJP by accommodating IPTF, a party of indigenous community in Tripura, managed to wean away the tribal community of the state. Some argue, that it would also reignite a demand for a separate state, but with a prominent Bengali community and presence of CM in Biplab Deb, that looks unlikely. 

5 BJP's overall North-East push

As Amit Shah highlighted in his presser, BJP gave special attention to the North-East after coming to power. Union Ministers visiting the state every 15 days definitely showed BJP's intent that it's serious about the region. Some may deem it as just playing to the gallery, but symbolism matters in electoral politics. The aspiration of people of Tripura aligned with BJP's message for development. 

Biplab has truly come in Maniker deshe - and it blew away CPI(M)'s fortress of 25 years.