Agartala, Oct 5: Tripura CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury on Monday challenged Chief Minister Manik Saha’s claim of an NDA victory in the TTAADC Village Committee elections and his description of election-related violence as only “minor incidents”, saying the two assertions were at odds with complaints emerging from BJP leaders and counting centres.
Addressing a press conference late evening here, Chaudhury said allegations by BJP leaders that Tipra Motha supporters had prevented their counting agents from entering centres in parts of the state raised questions over the ruling alliance’s claim of a smooth electoral process.
“Here the Chief Minister and BJP leaders are saying we are winning, while BJP grass root supporters are raising slogans ‘Motha, hai hai’. A mandal president is demanding repolling and recounting, while another Minister is saying this is our strategy,” he said.
Chaudhury said it was significant that Tipra Motha itself was not projecting the outcome as an NDA victory, while Saha was doing so. He alleged that BJP counting agents were prevented from entering centres in Tulasikhar, Salema and Kathalia.
“This is not about defeating the CPI(M); it is about defeating democracy,” he said.
The opposition leader also sharply criticised Saha’s assertion that polling had witnessed only a few stray or isolated incidents, comparing it with elections held during the Left Front regime.
“I challenge Dr Manik Saha to give an example, to give evidence, in which election during the period of the Left Front this kind of anarchism happened, where the entire booth, entire counting hall was hijacked,” Chaudhury said.
He referred to the September 28 firing in Gomati district in which a Tipra Motha candidate was injured, and Monday’s counting-related disturbances, including the death of a person following an incident in Khowai, injuries during a lathi-charge and damage to the vehicle of the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) in Sepahijala.
Chaudhury also questioned the deployment of central forces, claiming that 74 CRPF companies were available but were not effectively deployed to prevent the incidents.
He accused the government and State Election Commission of failing to safeguard the democratic and constitutional process, while saying the CPI(M) was yet to complete its assessment of the results.
His remarks came as counting continued across the state amid tight security.
Chaudhury further accused the government and the State Election Commission of failing to protect democratic and constitutional processes.
“These people do not have any respect for democracy or the Constitution. That’s why the Chief Minister can make this kind of irresponsible remark,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader’s criticism came as counting of votes for the Village Committee elections was underway across Tripura amid death of a Motha supporter and a police official seriously injured beside attack on the car of lGP Law and Order.
