Tripura: CPI(M) moves Supreme Court accusing BJP of violence as voting underway for civic bodies
The Trinamool Congress has also accused the BJP of “terrorising” the opposition during the local body elections.
FollowKolkata: The Tripura civic elections are underway today amid claims by the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), and the Trinamool Congress that workers of the ruling BJP are “terrorising” the opposition during the local body elections. The CPI(M) has moved the Supreme Court alleging attack on their party workers by ruling BJP.
The TMC has sought contempt action against the Tripura government and other officials for failing to curtail violent incidents against opposition parties in the run up to the municipal polls.
“The ruling political party workers and their sympathisers have been attacking the CPI(M) workers and sympathisers. They are being subjected to inexplicable and cruel violence. Many of them have lost their lives and property including residential houses. The offices of the Party are also attacked,” the CPI(M)’s application reads, according to LiveLaw.
Opposition party supporters are also being targeted; the application continues:
“Information has been pouring from different poll bound ULBs and several wards of Agartala Municipal Council that large number of miscreants are intruding into those areas at the behest of ruling BJP and indulging into terrorizing the opposition supporters with dire consequences, with the threat not to move to the polling stations tomorrow on 25th November, 2021.”
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The plea said that at around 4.00 pm on Wednesday, a group of 15-20 such miscreants barged into the house of Smriti Sarker, the CPI(M) candidate for Agartala Municipal Corporation and threatened her by openly demonstrating their firearms.
If violence, threats and intimidation are not stopped with iron hands, then on November 25 opposition party members, activists including CPI(M) workers and sympathisers and voters will not be able to exercise their franchise freely, it was contended.
Voting is taking place in 644 booths in 13 civic bodies in Tripura - the most keenly watched fight being the Agartala Municipal Corporation. In its last tenure, the CPI(M) was in control of the civic body. The BJP is making a determined bid to snatch it through unfair means, the opposition alleged.
Elections had been announced in the state for 334 seats in 20 urban local bodies, including the municipal corporation in capital city Agartala. Of these, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 112 seats unopposed earlier in November. Voting for the remaining seats is being held on Thursday. The votes will be counted on November 28.
