Tripura’s Dharmanagar by-poll exposes growing rift between CPI(M) and Congress as Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhary warns that equal seat demands could damage opposition prospects and indirectly strengthen the BJP in the crucial upcoming election.
The upcoming by-election in the Dharmanagar Assembly constituency has triggered fresh political tensions within Tripura’s opposition camp, exposing visible differences between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress. The disagreement has surfaced over the CPI(M)’s decision to field a candidate for the by-poll without prior consultation with its ally, a move that Congress leaders claim undermines opposition unity.
Tripura Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) Politburo member Jitendra Chaudhary on Friday publicly criticized the Congress party’s reaction to the CPI(M)’s decision. Chaudhary argued that the demand for equal seat sharing in every election could damage the opposition’s prospects rather than strengthen them.
Speaking to the media, Chaudhary acknowledged that the Dharmanagar Assembly seat had been allotted to Congress during the 2023 Assembly elections under a seat-sharing arrangement between the CPI(M) and the Congress. However, he emphasized that CPI(M) had played a major role in supporting the Congress campaign during that election.
According to him, the CPI(M) assisted the Congress in appointing polling agents in a majority of booths in the constituency. “There is no doubt that Congress is an important political force in the state, but that does not mean it has equal strength in every region,” he said.
Chaudhary pointed out that in several political arenas, including the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the Congress may struggle to even secure deposits if it contests independently. He added that the same logic applies to Dharmanagar, where the Congress was not considered strong enough to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party during the 2023 Assembly polls.
“In more than fifty booths, polling agents were appointed by the CPI(M) to help the Congress campaign. Ignoring ground realities and insisting on contesting everywhere will not help the opposition’s cause,” Chaudhary said.
The veteran Left leader described the previous seat-sharing arrangements between the two parties as temporary understandings specific to particular elections. He explained that the alliance agreement in 2023 applied only to the Assembly polls, while the arrangement in 2024 was meant for the parliamentary elections.
“With the Dharmanagar by-poll approaching, we appeal to the Congress leadership to extend their support to the CPI(M) candidate instead of creating unnecessary divisions,” Chaudhary said.
The CPI(M) has already nominated former MLA Amitabha Datta as its candidate for the Dharmanagar by-poll, even before the official election schedule was announced.
Congress leaders, however, have strongly criticized the move. A Congress legislator argued that the CPI(M) should have consulted the party before declaring its nominee, especially given the political understanding between the two opposition parties in the state.
The Congress leader also noted that the party had refrained from contesting certain recent by-elections and instead supported the Left to maintain opposition unity. According to him, the CPI(M)’s unilateral decision risks weakening the collective fight against the ruling BJP.
He warned that a divided opposition could indirectly benefit the BJP in the upcoming by-poll, allowing the ruling party to consolidate its electoral advantage.
Meanwhile, the state assembly is also preparing for a separate election for the post of Speaker. The ruling BJP has nominated senior tribal leader Rampada Jamatia for the position.
Chaudhary indicated that the opposition may choose not to field a candidate for the Speaker’s election scheduled for March 18, as the BJP currently holds enough numbers in the assembly to ensure its nominee’s victory.
Both the Dharmanagar by-poll and the Speaker election were necessitated following the death of former Speaker Biswabandhu Sen in December last year. Sen passed away at a private hospital outside the state after several months of medical treatment.
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Political observers believe the developments surrounding the Dharmanagar by-poll could shape the future dynamics of opposition cooperation in Tripura. With past alliances between the Congress and CPI(M) failing to defeat the BJP-led alliance in both the 2023 Assembly and 2024 parliamentary elections, the current disagreement may further test the fragile unity of the opposition bloc ahead of future electoral battles.
