Tripura polls: CPM, Tipra Motha allege violence by BJP, voting progresses

Agartala: As voting progresses in Tripura, reports of sporadic violence emerge from certain constituencies.

Former chief minister and leader of Opposition Manik Sarkar alleged that ‘miscreants’of the BJP are stopping people from casting their votes.

Several Twitter handles tagged the state electoral officer, reporting incidents of voters being stopped midway to the polling booths in several places. Meanwhile, reports say that polling officials have forwarded complaints to authorities.

Polling to the 60-member assembly began early in the morning with people lining up before 3,328 booths of the state.

Close to 28.13 lakh voters will decide the fate of 259 candidates as results come out on March 3.

The alliance between the CPIM and the Congress taking on the ruling BJP is the major highlight of the polls this time, as the left parties chose to fight in 47 seats, allowing the Congress in 13 constituencies.

The newly formed Tipra Motha led by former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma is hoping to make gains.

Tipra Motha won 18 of the 30 seats in the 2021 elections for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

The BJP is facing challenges from every side, putting it in a highly vulnerable position. Meanwhile, the state recorded a voter turnout of 51.42 per cent till 1 pm.

In the thick of pitched battle for the state, the chief of TIPRA Motha, Pradyot Debbarma said there were incidents of violence by the BJP in Dhanpur and Mohanpur.

Meanwhile, CPIM supporter was beaten up outside a polling station in Shantirbaazar constituency in the South Tripura district, The Indian Express reported. The BJP-IPFT is contesting in 55 seats in its bid to retain power in the state.

Contesting in 42 seats, the Tipra Motha hopes to win 20 tribal-dominated seats. he Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, has fielded candidates in 28 seats.

The Election Commission of India on Thursday reportedly said compared to the 2018 polls, there is a twenty fold increase in the seizure of freebies including cash, liquor, drugs, and precious metals meant for distribution in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

The BJP, which had no presence in the state, toppled the CPI (M) rule of more than 30 years in 2018, winning 36 seats and formed an alliance with regional IPFT (Indigenous Progressive Front of Tripura) to fortify itself against defection of MLAs.