The CPI(M) flag.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Alleging "complete rigging" during the by-polls for two Assembly constituencies conducted on Tuesday, the Opposition Left Front in Tripura has decided to boycott the counting on Friday.
Informing about the decision, Left Front convenor Narayan Kar alleged that the by-elections to Boxanagar and Dhanpur were completely rigged and made a farce. "From the beginning of the polling, we drew the attention of the Election Commission but no step was taken to prevent the rigging," Kar said.
The by-elections for the two Assembly constituencies were a fight between the Left Front and the ruling BJP as the Congress and Tipra Motha decided not to field their candidates.
The office of the Tripura Chief Electoral Officer said that 89.2 per cent polling was registered in Boxanagar while Dhanpur saw 83.92 per cent polling on Tuesday. But the Left Front alleged that workers of ruling BJP resorted to Chappa vote or fake voting and threatened the supporters of the Opposition candidates to abstain from voting.
The administration, however, did not admit the allegations levelled by the Opposition parties.
"Under these circumstances, the motive of the Election Commission is amply clear. In this situation what is the use of going for counting of votes? Therefore, we have decided to boycott the counting of rigged votes on September 8," Kar said in a statement.
The bypolls were necessary due to the death of CPI (M) MLA from Boxanagar Samsul Haque and resignation of Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik, who was elected from Dhanpur in the Assembly elections conducted in February. The ruling BJP came to power for the second straight term with an absolute majority in the House of 60. The CPI (M), which was in power in the state for 20-years till 2018, however was reduced to third place with just 11 seats. Tipra Motha bagged 13 seats in its maiden Assembly elections.