Opposition Congress will announce their candidate list within next two days, but the party is very much hopeful that regional Tipra-Motha will join their ‘Secular Democratic Forces’ to ensure the defeat of BJP in the assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference here at Congress Bhavan on Monday afternoon, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Birajit Sinha accompanied by AICC spokespersons Mita Chakraborty and wing commander Anuma Acharya said that Congress has finalized  its list of nominations for the upcoming assembly election and the final list will be announced by the AICC in Delhi on January 25.

Birajit Sinha said that party’s candidate list will announce as per the alliance with Left Front and other secular democratic parties and  Congress is ‘sympathetic’ to the demand raised by ‘Tipra Motha’ for ‘Greater Tipraland’  but no understanding has been reached with the party.

He said that top leaders of Congress are in regular touch with Tipra-Motha’s supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and he has already assured them that the Motha will do nothing to divide the opposition vote. He added that Congress in Tripura or in Delhi is in no position to give written assurance of support to the ‘Tipra Motha’ demand as it is not in power at the Centre. But Birajit asserted that the DNA of Congress and the ‘Tipra Motha’ is same as Pradyot Kishore at one point of time was PCC president and also a secretary of the AICC.

Replying to the role of Election Commission of India (ECI), Birajit said that still many high rising flags and posters are in different parts of the state and ECI should ensure proper deployment of Central security forces for proper security of state’s people. He also contradicted the election commission’s version that the Congress programme at Majlishpur assembly constituency where Ajay Kumar had been attacked and injured had no permission from police and added that the road map of the motor bike rally had been given to police in advance.

While, both AICC spokespersons thanked the Election Commission and steps taken by it so far but both asserted that the Commission must be more proactive in its actions to ensure a level playing field for all the parties and a free and fair election.