Claiming the by-elections for Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly constituencies – a total farce and rigged by the ruling party, the opposition Left Front on Tuesday evening demanded countermand of entire elections in both the constituencies and arrange a fresh poll with strictest security measures.

After the polling process completed, addressing a press conference at CPI(M) headquarters on Tuesday evening, the convener of Tripura Left Front committee Narayan Kar accompanied by other front leaders has also demanded arrest of Minister Bikash Debbarma and alleged that he physically led the large number of miscreants to terrorization of voters, removal SP Sepahijala, and both the ROs of Boxanagar, and Dhanpur immediately and has also urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) and CEO, Tripura that the  electoral staff may be drafted from outside the poll-bound district. 

Speaking in the press meet CPI (M) state secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury said that the by-elections in 20-Boxanagar and 23-Dhanpur Assembly Constituency have been totally rigged by the ruling BJP miscreants using a section of the police and Civil Administration through an extra-ordinary terror situation.

“Instead of flushing out the outsiders from the Constituency and adjacent areas, the ruling BJP miscreants were allowed in large numbers to get into the constituency areas from 3rd September night, 2023 itself. They were deputed in strategic points spreading the entire areas of both the constituencies to carry on operation on the poll day. On 4th August night, one Abu Jafar, a CPI(M) leader was physically assaulted at his house at Boxanagar by BJP candidate Tofazzal Hussain himself,” alleged Chaudhury.

He said that Tuesday, only 16 CPI (M) polling agents in 20-Boxanagar seat and 19 in 23-Dhanpur seat could manage to attend the respective polling booths. But most of them were forcibly driven out of the polling booths by the miscreants mobilized by the ruling party.

“Today, from dawn onwards, the outsiders gathered by the BJP started terrorizing and intimidating, specifically selecting the opposition supporters not to go to the polling booths. Those who dared to defy their dictate were given threats of dire consequences. Many genuine voters were returned from midway through the polling booths. In Mohanbhog area of 23-Dhanpur AC, one Minister namely Bikash Debbarma physically led the terrorization drive today. Bikash Debbarma, Minister instigated the BJP followers accompanying him to attack on Jayanta Debbarma, a TYF leader at Mohanbhog who had to be treated in GB Pant Hospital, Agartala.  Ramapada Jamatia , MLA was also found roaming around along with a big number of outsiders. Large number of outsiders cast votes in the name of absentee voters,” alleged Chaudhury.

He also said that in many polling booths, most of the voters were forced to cast their votes in the voting compartment in presence of miscreants or the miscreants themselves cast vote on behalf of the voters.

The police supposedly getting a tacit signal from the administration did not take any measure to contain the evil drive of the BJP miscreants. In this way the elections in both the constituencies have been reduced to a complete mockery, said Chaudhury.

They demanded countermand of entire elections in both the constituencies’ 20-Boxanagar and 23-Dhanpur constituencies and arranged a fresh poll with strictest security measures. The CPI(M) has also demanded arrest of Minister Bikash Debbarma, removal of SP(Sepahijala) and Returning Officers (ROs)  of both constituencies.