Agartala: The BJP on Monday finalised the list of candidates in 51 Assembly constituencies of Tripura for the elections scheduled for February 18.

The party earlier formed an alliance with the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) N.C. Debbarma faction in nine seats.

The IPFT was floated in 2009 with a demand for Twipraland, a separate state for indigenous communities.

BJP state in-charge Sunil Deodhar told this correspondent on Monday that he was confident of a victory for the BJP-IPFT alliance with over 40 out of 60 seats in the state Assembly.

"We are getting reports from across the state that our candidates are being well appreciated. We are confident that our alliance will win in at least two-third of the seats," Deodhar said.

BJP state vice-president Subal Bhowmik on Sunday turned down Sonamura constituency allotted to him. He has gone to visit Sonamura, Deodhar told The Telegraph.

On his take on loss of poll prospects after IPFT's women brigade broke loose to declare 20 candidates on Sunday, the BJP leader said he didn't feel that the tie-up would lead to "any loss".

"There will be zero effect on the election prospects of our alliance with the IPFT because of their internal rift," the leader claimed. He added that leaders who leave a party lose credibility among their supporters.

With the last date of nominations fixed for Wednesday, no BJP candidate has yet submitted his or her nomination papers in Tripura. Deodhar said nomination papers would be filed in the next two days.

In the first list of candidates announced on Saturday, BJP state president Biplab Kumar Deb was named to contest from 9 Banamalipur Assembly constituency. BJP vice-president Subal Bhowmik will contest from 22 Sonamura constituency and state secretary Kalyani Roy would contest from 28 Teliamura constituency.

Seven MLAs who left the Congress and the Trinamul Congress and joined the BJP were given seats on their home turf. Senior leader and BJP state core committee member Sudip Roy Barman, who led the exodus from the Congress, will contest from 6 Agartala constituency, Ratan Lal Nath will contest from Mohanpur, Ashish Kumar Saha will contest from Town Bardowali, Dilip Sarkar will contest from Badharghat, Pranajit Singha Roy from Radhakishorepur, Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl from Karamcherra and Biswa Bandhu Sen will contest from Dharmanagar Assembly constituencies.

The final list had BJP state vice-president Ramprasad Paul named for Suryamaninagar Assembly constituency.

Apart from Paul, BJP state chief spokesperson Arun Kanti Bhowmik was named party candidate for Kamalasagar constituency, former minister Ratan Chakraborty in Khayerpur constituency, Atul Debbarma for Krishnapur constituency, Baharul Islam for Boxanagar seat and state OBC Morcha chief was named for Yadav Lal Nath for Yubarajnagar.

State Yuba Morcha president Tinku Roy will contest from Kadamtala-Kurti Assembly constituency. He was summoned to Guwahati on Sunday, reportedly for youth brigade activities, following which his name was learnt to have been chosen.