Tripura polls: BJP must be defeated to restore peace, democracy, says former CM Manik Sarkar

Hinting that the Opposition CPI (M) may make the issue of alleged political violence a poll plank for the Assembly elections, former Tripura CM and veteran left leader, Manik Sarkar on Saturday alleged that BJP unleashed a reign of terror and destroyed democracy in the past five years.

"They have burnt and demolished our offices by using bulldozers, murdered at least 25 comrades, injured several hundred supporters, looted shops and even dropped poison in ponds. BJP workers have unleashed a reign of terror since they came to power with the promise of change and development. They have continuously tried to curtail the voice of the opposition parties so that they can't point out their failure to develop Tripura. In the elections, BJP must be defeated if you want peace to be restored and democracy to prevail," Sarkar, 73, said while addressing a rally at Kathalia in Dhanpur Assembly constituency.

Sarkar served as Chief Minister for 20 Years till 2018, when BJP and its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) wrested power and formed their first government in Tripura.

Elections to the 60-member Assembly are slated on February 16.

The CPI (M) has for the first time in Tripura joined hands with Congress and decided to contest elections with a target to defeat BJP.

"As they have failed to provide jobs to the youths, they have taken the path of communal politics by targeting the Muslims and Christians. This is part of their communal politics and to push the agenda of Hindu rashtra. People of Tripura have lived in harmony and without any communal tension but things changed for the worse after BJP came to power. So we must make sure that BJP is defeated in order to restore communal harmony," Sarkar said.

Tripura has reported several attacks on Opposition workers in which several were killed and injured. The Opposition CPI (M) and Congress have alleged that BJP workers were involved in such attacks and police remained silent spectators. The state also reported similar violence between BJP-Congress days after the Election Commission announced that conducting violence free polling in Tripura was their target.

On Saturday, the CPI (M) and Congress staged a demonstration in front of the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Agartala to register their protest against alleged political violence by BJP.

BJP president, JP Nadda, during his visit to Tripura on January 14, however, claimed that Tripura did not report a single political violence since the party came to power in 2018. He stated that the Opposition parties were making false claims in order to garner political mileage ahead of elections.