BJP goons attacked us in front of police after by-poll results: Congress, CPI(M) in Tripura

The Opposition CPI(M) and Congress on Monday charged that BJP workers attacked their leaders and workers after the results of bypolls in four Assembly constituencies were announced on Sunday.

President of Tripura Congress Committee, Birajit Sinha and a few other workers of the party were injured in attacks on Sunday, hours after the results were announced. The ruling BJP won in three seats while Congress' Sudip Roy Barman bagged the prestigious Agartala Assembly seat. Barman, a former minister in the BJP government led by Biplab Kumar Deb, had quit the party and joined Congress in February this year.

Congress alleged that BJP workers were openly attacking their leaders and workers and vandalised their offices in front of police at Agartala. Sinha and other workers were admitted to hospital with injuries. Three AICC leaders, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, MP Gaurav Gogoi and Naseer Ahmed visited Tripura, met the injured workers and condemned the attacks.

Read | Tripura Congress chief among 19 injured in clash with BJP

The CPI(M) said several of their workers were attacked by BJP "goons" at Belonia and Dharmanagar and their offices were vandalised in the presence of police.

"The BJP goons openly attacked our workers while police looked on silently. The BJP goons were freely roaming with rods and sticks and threw stones in our offices. This kind of violence is unacceptable," said a statement issued by senior AICC leader, K.C Venugopal.

He demanded an apology from BJP president JP Nadda and investigation by the home ministry.

"BJP used muscle power, money power and the administration to create fear among voters ahead of the by-polls and they managed to win the three seats. BJP workers had earlier attacked our workers and they continued to do so even after the results were announced," said Jitendra Choudhury, secretary of the Tripura unit of CPI(M).

He also demanded the state government to immediately take action against the attackers.