CAMPAIGN for the municipal elections in Tripura has been going on in full swing. The Left Front is clearly ahead of other parties. The polling will be held for 19 out of 20 urban local bodies. In Jirania Nagar Panchayat of West Tripura district, the Left Front candidates won unopposed as neither the Congress nor the BJP could field candidates in any of the 11 wards. In Amarpur Nagar Panchayat too, Left Front won six of the 11 wards unopposed. In Khowai Municipal Council, CPI(M) candidates won uncontested in two wards. On December 9, polling will be held for 291 wards of the urban local bodies including Agartala Municipal Corporation, 13 municipal councils and five nagar panchayats. The Left Front had started its campaign soon after announcing the names of the candidates. Having completed the phase of door-to-door campaign, the Left Front is now focusing on public meetings. All the meetings in Agartala and other urban areas are getting huge public response. The enthusiastic presence of the women clearly indicates the edge the Left Front has over the opposition. The main plank of the Left Front’s campaign is peace, tranquility, development and transparency. The Left Front's campaign has gathered further momentum as the Agartala Municipal Corporation has just been selected the best city in providing LED streetlights by a Gurgaon-based organisation, Skotch Foundation. The upgradation of Agartala Municipal Council into Municipal Corporation and the cleanliness of the city, housing complex for the urban poor are being showcased as the success of the corporation. At the same time, LF is highlighting the rampant corruption and poor services provided to the people in Agartala while it was under the Congress control during 1995 to 2000. The principal campaigner of the Left Front, chief minister Manik Sarkar, is addressing rallies in Agartala and other urban local bodies every day. In his speeches, he has been stressing on the corrupt record of the Congress and the dangerous communal politics of the BJP. To the disgruntled Congress supporters who are in two minds whether to support the BJP, he appealed that taking such a step will be jumping into a blaze in a bid to escape from a frying pan. Taking a dig at the Modi government, Sarkar said it has won the election by promising to bring 'achhe din' but that 'achhe din' has come only for the domestic and foreign corporates. Regarding neo-liberal economic policies, the BJP is towing the same line pursued by the Congress, he said. As the BJP and RSS are trying to divide the common people on communal lines, an atmosphere of hatred and intolerance is being created. The secular, democratic foundation of India is under threat. He said in Tripura despite all limitations, the Left Front is trying to show an alternative path of development. The main essence of all our endeavors is to make Tripura a developed state and that means continuous development of the living standards of the people. The victory of the Left in these elections will help send a clear message to the rest of India that such a model of development is possible and only the Left and democratic forces can do so by maintaining peace, harmony and brotherhood. Besides Sarkar, CPI(M) Tripura state secretary Bijan Dhar, Left Front convenor Khagan Das, and CPI(M) Central Committee members Badal Choudhury, Gautam Das and Rama Das are also taking part in the campaign. The election campaign is marked by a regular phenomenon of people belonging to the Congress, BJP, TMC severing ties with these parties and openly declaring to work for the Left Front and the CPI(M). The counting of votes will be held on December 12.