Tripura bypolls: CPI(M) alleges 'large scale rigging' by BJP, demands fresh election

The CPI(M) on Friday demanded the countermanding of the two bypolls in Tripura and fresh elections be held, claiming that the results vindicate their apprehensions that the BJP rigged the voting.

The Left party, which was backed by the Congress, lost its sitting seat Boxanagar and Dhanpur to the BJP by a huge margin. The results were a set back for the CPI(M)-Congress combine as it was planning a comeback in the political theatre of Tripura.

In a statement, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said the results "vindicate the apprehensions" raised by the Left Front and "justifies the demand for countermanding" them and "holding fresh polls under strict supervision".

"These elections have been reduced to a mockery with large scale rigging by the BJP in connivance with the administration and police," it said.

In Boxanagar constituency, the BJP won securing 89 per cent votes polled and 71 per cent in Dhanpur constituency. "This is unprecedented in the state’s history of elections. After having lost the Boxanagar seat to the CP(IM) in the February elections, it is impossible for the BJP to secure 89 per cent votes except through large-scale rigging," it said.

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau "reiterates its demand that these elections be countermanded and fresh polls be conducted under strict supervision," a statement said.

In Boxanagar, BJP candidate Tafajjal Hossain, the first Muslim MLA for the party, defeated CPI(M)'s Mizan Hossain by 30,237 votes. The BJP nominee bagged 34,146 or 87.97 per cent of the 38,814 votes polled in the minority dominated seat, while CPI(M) got just 3,909 votes or 10.07 per cent votes.

In the Assembly election earlier, CPI(M)'s Shamsul Haque with 19,404 votes had defeated Tafajjal Hossain who had bagged 14,555 votes then. Haque's death had resulted in the bypoll.

Dhanpur saw BJP's Bindu Debnath win by a margin of 18,871 votes. He bagged 30,017 or 70.35 per cent of 42,666 votes, while his CPI(M) rival Kaushik Chanda got 11,146 or 26.12 per cent.

The bypoll was necessitated by Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik resigning from the Assembly as the party decided to retain her Lok Sabha membership. She had polled 19,148, while Chandra had polled 15,468. Dhanpur was earlier represented by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for five terms.