AGARTALA, Nov 15 (TIWN / IANS) In a surprise move, the BJP's Tripura unit has requested the main opposition Congress to form an electoral alliance to fight the ruling Left Front in the state's December 9 civic polls."If the Congress does not put up its candidates in next month's municipal elections, then the opposition parties' combined vote would be able to defeat the candidates of the Left parties," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura unit president Sudhindra Dasgupta told reporters here. He said: "The Congress either can form an alliance with the BJP or support the nominees of the BJP. The BJP was gaining popularity in the state after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government came to power last year," Dasgupta said after announcing BJP candidates for the municipal elections."Results of the Lok Sabha, gram panchayat and tribal autonomous district council polls have shown that the BJP's vote share has increased substantially, eating into Congress's support base. "But, because of the division of votes among the BJP, the Congress and other non-Left parties, the CPI-M won the election," Dasgupta claimed.The BJP leader said his party has fielded promising, educated and dedicated youngsters for the civic bodies' polls.

The BJP has put up a record number of 28 women candidates in the Agartala Municipal Corporation, 13 municipal councils and six nagar panchayats across the state.