BJP wipes out opposition in Tripura ahead of panchayat elections: CPI(M)

The Communist Party of India (CPI(M)) Politburo has issued a strong statement condemning the political violence ahead of the panchayat elections in Tripura scheduled for August 8. The party accused the BJP of “creating an atmosphere of fear” and said it was “single-mindedly” pursuing an agenda to destroy the opposition in the state.

The politburo demanded that appropriate steps be taken to ensure that all candidates are allowed to contest and that the elections are held free and fair. The party said that from the day the panchayat elections were announced, CPI(M) workers have been subjected to relentless attacks from the BJP.

“Communist (Marxist) candidates have been forcibly prevented from filing their candidacy, resorting to brutal attacks against the candidates themselves and their supporters,” the Politburo said.

On July 13, CPI(M) candidate Badal Sir from a South Tripura constituency was killed. The CPI(M) blamed the BJP for the murder of its candidate. The party said that opposition leaders were being forcibly prevented from participating in cross-party meetings convened by the Election Commission in various places.

The party said BJP leaders had been threatening to kill opposition candidates seeking to run for office and vehicles carrying opposition leaders had been attacked in full view of police. The CPI(M) said prominent leaders of the party had been ambushed and attacked. There had been incidents of stone pelting at CPI(M) marches and bombs being hurled at the residences of CPI(M) leaders, the politburo said.

“Ever since winning the state assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has single-mindedly pursued a policy of annihilation of the opposition in the state. Thirty party workers and associates have been killed in these murderous attacks which began since 2018,” the politburo said.

The party said such intimidation tactics have “created an atmosphere of fear across the state and cast doubt on the free and fair conduct of elections.”