Demanding free and fair by-elections in both Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly constituencies, a delegation of opposition CPI (M) on Friday evening met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Tripura and submitted a memorandum in support of their demands.

The CPI (M) team led by party’s state secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury along with former minister Manik Dey and party leader Haripada Das met in a deputation with the CEO, Puneet Agarwal and appraise him over the present situation in both constituencies and highlighted their previous experiences of rigging and mal-practices in by-polls.

The CPI (M) team in their letter said that from the experiences of earlier by-elections held in 2022 in 4 assembly seats, demanding preventive measures for the sake of free and fair election.

Chaudhury alleged that ‘it was observed that, in the last bye-elections, particularly in 8-Town Bordwali assembly seat, the ruling BJP had come to a tacit understanding with the police through the then DGP Mr. V. S. Jadav, that the outsider workers deployed by BJP in the poll-bound areas  were given free hand to terrorize the voters. The police were directed that the persons wearing yellow or white ribbons in hand or having ‘Tilak’ in the forehead should not be touched. They were given whatever according to their whims. In this way the bye-election in 8-Town Bordwali Assembly seat was reduced to complete farce.’

“This is not that we do possess any doubt on the present machinery there, but to prevent any such mischievous move, the Commission should be careful enough.” said Chaudhury in their letter.

Though Sonamura town is not under poll area, this is the entry gate to both the Assembly seats where bye-elections are going to be held. Thus taking this advantage, the ruling BJP has already occupied all the hotels, guest houses and marriage halls in Sonamura town and adjoining areas to accommodate their outsider workers and they have been operating in both the Assembly seats since 8th August, the date of declaration of election. Similarly at Bar Narayan under Dhanpur seat, a very big camp has been running since the beginning where hundreds of outsiders are operating, the letter mentioned.

The CPI(M) leaders also alleged that  outsiders from each of the government guest houses and private hotels including those at Sonamura town may be flushed out by 2nd September next and demanded that the check posts must be maintained strictly.

They alleged that  Panchayet Training Institute at Bishramganj is reported to be packed with BJP workers from various parts of the state. This also must be vacated early. 

Jitendra Chaudhury said that in such a situation and to prevent any havoc in the poll day by outsiders camped in different places, the Election authority should take appropriate measures.

‘As both the election bound assembly seats are situated along long strip of international border with Bangladesh, the BSF may be asked to keep strictest vigil along the border to prevent infiltration,’ said Chaudhury and added that the para-military forces to be posted at the entry point of each of the polling stations may be asked to confirm identity of each voter by matching their EPIC or Identity Proof with that of the voter slip supplied by the Election authority. This is necessary to prevent intrusion of any fake voters into any polling station.