New Delhi/UNI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released the list of 59 candidates for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Tripura.

According to a communique issued by the BJP, among the 59 candidates include names of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma & Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik.

Saha will contest from Town Bardowali, Dev Varma from Charilam and Bhoumik from Dhanpur Assembly seats respectively.

The BJP's Central Election Committee (CEC) has approved the names of the 59 candidates in its meeting held on Friday at the party headquarters here, in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per the statement issued by the party.

Election to 60 Assembly seats in Tripura will be held in a single phase on February 16.

The counting of votes will take place on March 2.

The BJP is eyeing for a second term in the northeastern state.