Agartala, April 14: As the first phase of the parliamentary election in Tripura draws near, political tensions escalate as both the ruling BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc, comprised of former adversaries CPIM and Congress, trade allegations and counter-allegations, intensifying the electoral competition.
Congress CWC member and MLA Sudip Roy Barman, along with Opposition Leader and CPIM state secretary Jitendra Choudhury, both part of the INDIA block, in a press conference held in Agartala on Sunday, levied serious accusations against Kriti Debi Singh Debbarma, the BJP candidate from the East Tripura parliamentary constituency.
They alleged discrepancies in her educational qualifications and suppression of information in her affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Demanding transparency, the INDIA block leaders called for the BJP candidate to publicly disclose her educational qualifications and ST (Scheduled Tribe) certificate to dispel any confusion surrounding the matter.
They revealed that a formal complaint has been lodged with the CEO Tripura, urging the ECI to investigate the allegations and, if warranted, cancel the candidate’s nomination.
Congress leader Roy Barman emphasized that if no action is taken by the ECI, they are prepared to escalate the matter to the court.
Additionally, Jitendra Choudhury, a former MP and CPIM MLA, questioned the replacement of incumbent MPs in both the West and East Tripura constituencies.
He raised concerns about BJP’s candidate selection in this Lok Sabha poll, particularly in light of the removal of former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb from his position before completion of his tenure and now again made candidate from West Tripura constituency.
Furthermore, Choudhury expressed doubts regarding the timeframe for implementing the tripartite agreement between TIPRA Motha party, the Tripura state government, and the central government, aimed at the socio-economic development of indigenous people in the state.
He called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are expected to visit Tripura for campaign rallies in the coming days, to address these concerns.
Amidst their criticism, the CPIM and Congress leaders welcomed Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha’s announcement regarding the potential reopening of cases related to political murders during the Left Front and Congress regimes.
They also demanded an investigation into alleged killings during the BJP-led rule over the past six years.
