PM has become restless over Left-Cong alliance in poll-bound Tripura: Manik Sarkar

Sarkar also claimed electors “could not cast” their votes in the past five years and urged them to ensure that they can exercise their franchise this time

Former Tripura chief minister and CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become “restless over the Left-Congress alliance” in the poll-bound state.

Alleging that the BJP-led government is “not following the Constitution” and has “murdered democracy” in Tripura, he said that the two rivals – the Left and the Congress- have joined hands to end “fascist” rule in the state.

His comment comes after PM Modi had on February 11 lashed out at the Congress-CPI(M) alliance in Tripura during an election rally and said the two parties have strangely chosen ‘dosti' (friendship) in the northeastern state as against their normal ‘kushti' (wrestling) in Kerala.

“You have mentioned that two parties, which are fighting each other in a state (Kerala), have become friends here. It is true that a CPI(M)-led front is running a government in Kerala where the Congress is sitting on the opposition bench. But democracy is vibrant there, which is missing in Tripura. The BJP is not following the Constitution here and a fascist rule is going on,” Sarkar said at an election rally in South Tripura’s Santirbazar on Monday.

Read | 'Kushti' to 'yaari': CPI(M) and Congress's complicated 'rishta'

The veteran CPI(M) leader also said, "It appears that the PM has become restless over the Left-Congress alliance...Democracy has been murdered in the northeastern state and the BJP is not following the Constitution here during the past five years of its rule. All these are happening at your behest.”

Claiming that the BJP’s tribal and non-tribal vote bank has “gone down drastically in the poll-bound state”, Sarkar said the electoral understanding between the Left and the Congress will avoid division of anti-BJP votes, which has “left the saffron camp worry”.

“The PM has toured the state twice for the ongoing campaign for the elections but he avoided to mention about the implementation of the vision document unveiled before the 2018 assembly elections. Modi remains silent on the promises during his campaign in the poll-bound state,” he said.

Sarkar also claimed electors “could not cast” their votes in the past five years and urged them to ensure that they can exercise their franchise in the February 16 elections.