Congress accuses BJP candidate of manipulating surname for votes in Tripura

Agartala, Apr 24, 2024, By Our Correspondent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman has made startling allegations against Kriti Singh Debbarma, the BJP candidate for the East Tripura Parliamentary Constituency, claiming she manipulated her surname to sway voters in the ongoing Lok Sabha election.

During a press conference held at the Agartala Congress Bhavan, Roy Barman presented accusations against Debbarma, citing a representation letter addressed to the Election Commission of India by Congress state in-charge Girish Chodankar. According to Barman, Debbarma's election affidavits showed inconsistencies. In her 2018 affidavit for the Chhattisgarh State Assembly Elections, she purportedly declared her name as "Kriti Devi Singh," omitting the surname "Debbarma." Similarly, her PAN details only displayed the name "Kriti Singh."

Barman asserted that Debbarma strategically utilized the surname "Debbarma" to appeal to voters in the Tripura East (ST) Parliamentary Constituency, which, he alleges, violates the Model Code of Conduct set by the ECI.

The representation letter forwarded by Barman suggested that Debbarma's alleged non-disclosure or omission in her nomination affidavit might amount to falsifying her nomination form, potentially invoking Section 125A of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951.

Seeking immediate action from the ECI, Roy Barman demanded an inquiry into the officials who approved Debbarma's purportedly false claims. He also urged the ECI to ensure peaceful voting in the East Parliamentary Constituency on April 26, following what he described as a farcical election in the West Parliamentary Constituency.