The leaders of opposition INDIA Bloc through their scathing attacks on ruling BJP on Wednesday claimed that ruling party is now a burden on the society and if Narendra Modi returned to power for a third term as Prime Minister, there would not be elections anymore in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference at Agartala press club on Wednesday afternoon, senior Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman accompanied with leader of opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury and other Bloc leaders said  that the response they have got so far is beyond imagination. People want change both in the state and in the rest of the country and people of the country are fed up with these governments.

Roy Barman said the BJP should release a report on its government’s achievements as well as vision for the future. He said the BJP was instead diverting people’s attention by burning the Opposition’s campaign materials, assaulting and jailing Opposition party workers, freezing Congress’s bank accounts and misusing central agencies like the CBI and the ED.

Barman said that when China occupied Indian territory and renamed it, Modi spoke about “India-Pakistan”. “India’s pride is in being known as the largest democracy in the world. We are pained to see the US, Germany and the UN question India’s democracy. India’s rank on the press freedom index is going downwards to 167. But the BJP doesn’t speak about it. They polarise people as Hindus and Muslims,” he added.

Urging  the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure a free and fair election, Sudip said that the poll panel should ensure that voters should cast their votes without any fear or intimidation from the ruling party.

Sudip without naming BJP candidate for West Tripura LS seat, Biplab Kumar Deb said that ‘stars fevouring him and he does not have basic knowledge of politics. Over alleged attacks on Sudip’s family, Roy Barman said that people of the state known very well the character and functioning of such leaders.

While attacking Tipra-Motha’s supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma without naming him, Sudip claimed that “ he is not Maharaja, he is a ‘Mahajan’ and completely sold out Tiprasas in lieu of hefty things.”

“People of the state are well aware why he has put 22 candidates in non-ST seats in last assembly elections and why now he put his own sister in Lok Sabha elections,”  said Sudip and added that since beginning Tipra-Motha leaders are working for BJP for their personal gain.

Speaking at the press conference CPI(M) state secretary and LoP, Jitendra Chaudhury  claimed that if Modi returns to power, elections will not be held in the country.

Chaudhury also replied to the BJP’s allegations about the Congress and the CPM allying despite having a shared past of bitter rivalry and violence. “When the Left was in power or when Congress-led coalition governments were in power before that, some clashes happened and some unfortunate deaths did happen. They (BJP) are questioning how we are fighting together despite these. People including Congress and CPI(M) workers were murdered in the past. It was wrong. We apologise to them. But they (BJP) are murdering democracy itself. Generations will be murdered if democracy is killed. All criminals from the past are joining the BJP,” he said.

“Left parties and the Congress fought together for the freedom of the country. We formed the Constitution together. Left and Congress parties have upheld this spirit. But this Constitution is under attack, several things like electoral bonds and CAA were done by bypassing the Constitution. CBI, ED, income tax department, Election Commission and the RBI are being used and the judiciary was also meddled in. In the name of nationalism, they tried to erase the history of our country. All false narratives are being introduced, mythology is being passed off as history, said Chaudhury.

Chaudhury alleged that 96 percent of gram panchayat seats were won unopposed in 2019 because Opposition parties were forced not to put up candidates.

In the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) area, village committees are still awaiting elections since the tenure of the last elected body expired three years ago.