Agartala, April 28: The Tripura Congress is in the grip of a fresh bout of infighting over nomination for the by-election to Town Bardowali Assembly constituency. The seat fell vacant in January this year following the death of former chief minister Sudhir Ranjan Mazumder.

While Mazumder’s widow, Milan Prava Mazumder has refused to enter the fray, eight others, including former Agartala Municipal Council chairman Asish Saha, former minister Ratan Chakraborty and women’s front leader Laxmi Nag have started lobbying for nomination.

Sources in the Congress said taking advantage of the infighting in the party, unpopular PCC president Samir Ranjan Barman, who lost the Assembly polls last year from Bishalgarh Assembly seat, would try to secure nomination for the by-election.

“This will, however, be a blunder for his party as once he enters the fray, the Left Front will go all out to have him defeated and the task will be completed by the dissident faction of the PCC,” said PCC spokesman Tapas De.

On the other hand, the Left Front has nominated Forward Bloc secretary Shyamal Roy as its nominee for the by-election to the Town Bardowali Assembly constituency, scheduled to be held on May 28.