The opposition CPI-M state general secretary Jitendra Choudhury on Tuesday alleged of pre-poll violence across the state instigated by the ruling BJP party and held the state election commission responsible for this.
Referring to the ruling BJP’s uncontested win in seven civic bodies in Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh in Western Tripura, Santir Bazar and Udaipur in southern Tripura and Kamalpur in northern Tripura, Choudhury alleged, “The BJP’s terror tactics had restricted us from filing the nomination papers for these seven seats of five civic bodies. We also failed to get any support from the state administration including the police.”
“The BJP also tried to create terror tactics and instigate attacks and violence in rest of the thirteen seats of the civic bodies including Agartala Municipality body, but the people’s intervention had restricted this, following which we were able to deploy our candidates to contest the elections,” Choudhury adding to this alleged, “But, since after the filing of nomination papers in those thirteen seats, the BJP started unleashing attacks on us.”
“A total of 20 FIRs were registered with different police stations, but no necessary action was taken against the complaints,” he alleged.
Ending the party’s state committee meeting Choudhury held a press conference and alleged, “Despite being an independent body of the constitution, we have observed that since the BJP assumed power in Tripura, the election commission office has been turned to an organisation to act on the behest of the government.”
Expressing concern over the role of the State Election Commission Choudhury said, “It is very unfortunate that the Election Commission in the state had failed to maintain and implement its constitutional power and moving in line with this, the state administration too including the police is seen to be acting on behest of the government and failed to maintain law and order situation in the state.”
“In this situation, the polls are being conducted in the state which in the recent past had witnessed an excessive pre-poll violence across the state,” Choudhury adding to this alleged, “Since after the announcement of the polls to the civic bodies in the state, such pre-poll violence is high necked yet again, where the opposition parties are targeted.”
