Tripura: Opposition parties accuse BJP of post-poll violence

Both the parties separately alleged that on the night of repoll, the ruling party cadres started attacking the opposition supporters in the villages of Belonia, Sonamura, Bishalgarh, Jirania and Mohanpur sub-divisions, as during repoll BJP was failed to resist the voters from exercising their franchise.

While CPI (M) alleged as many as 19 violent attacks on their workers, Congress listed as many as 24 incidents where their supporters and leaders were either physically assaulted or getting threats from the BJP cadres but police has not been taking any action against them.

Both the parties however, have expressed satisfaction over peaceful holding of repoll.

“The BJP was desperately expecting support from ECI to rig the repoll like first phase election to West Tripura constituency held on April 11 last but due to the pressure from the opposition parties and common mass, they could not succeed. Now, they are attacking the opposition supporters for last three days,” said senior CPI (M) leader and former minister Pabitra Kar.

He alleged that all listed anti-social elements have not got shelter in BJP with the support of MLAs in and around Agartala and attacking the opposition workers and added that the role of police was not satisfactory at all.

The CPI (M) delegation yesterday met CEO Sriram Taranikanti and DGP A K Shukla and described them in details about post-poll violence in different parts of West Tripura and demanded legal action against all attackers and assurance of security for their supporters. After re-polls, several FIRs were lodged in different police stations of the constituency but no action was taken yet, Kar added.

Meanwhile, Congress candidate Subal Bhowmik alleged that yesterday at least four of their supporters have been injured in an attack when he was holding a review meeting in Belonia.

“The BJP cadres suddenly raided the meeting and started beating up the congress workers and I was narrowly escaped from the attack and at least seven persons were hurt and four of them shifted to hospital in critical condition,” Bhowmik alleged.

Under Dhanpur assembly constituency of West Tripura parliamentary seat Bhowmik alleged two polling agents of Congress and a TSR jawan were also beaten up by supporters of ruling party for their participation in re-polls and similar incidents were reported from other areas too.

However, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee denied the allegations of post poll violence and raised a counter allegation that it has been the part of the design of Congress and CPI (M) to malign the BJP and the state government. He stated that during the repoll, BJP workers were assaulted by central paramilitary forces with the instigation of opposition leaders where election machinery had a big role.

“The criminal got birth during the Left Front regime and still they are working under the direct leadership of CPI (M) leaders. No criminal has been allowed to join in BJP politics but sometime they camouflaged the identity to defame our party. However, police has been demanded to take proper action on each of the allegations,” Bhattacharjee added.