Agartala, October 24: In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming urban local body elections of Tripura, the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress on Saturday appeared together at a press conference in Agartala, announcing a joint agitation against the Election Commission over alleged threats to democratic rights and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The press conference at Agartala Press Club was addressed by Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, Tripura Pradesh Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha and other Left Front leaders. It marked the first such joint public appearance by the opposition parties under the India Bloc Tripura Chapter banner in the state, signalling a possible strengthening of coordination between the two principal opposition formations.
The parties announced a rally on October 30, beginning at 11 am from Orient Chowmuhani in Agartala, with participants carrying the national flag before proceeding to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office to stage a protest.
The protesters will demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, cancellation of the ongoing SIR exercise and restoration of names allegedly deleted from electoral rolls illegally. They have accused the exercise of potentially benefiting the BJP, though the allegations have not been independently established.
Addressing the press conference, Chaudhury accused the Election Commission of undermining democratic institutions and raised concerns over the conduct of electoral processes. He referred to the suspension of opposition MPs from Parliament and questioned decisions concerning the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and providing legal impunity even after his term is over.
The opposition leaders argued that protecting voting rights and ensuring free and fair elections were essential to safeguarding democracy. They appealed to all secular and democratic forces to participate in the proposed agitation.
Saha also stressed the need to protect electoral rights and oppose any alleged manipulation of voter lists that could deprive eligible citizens of their franchise.
While the parties presented the agitation as a campaign to defend democracy, their joint appearance has acquired added political significance in Tripura, where the CPI(M) and Congress have separately challenged the BJP-led government.
The announcement comes ahead of the urban local body elections and could provide a platform for greater opposition coordination, although the parties did not announce any formal electoral understanding at the press conference.
