AS the election to the Tripura assembly is expected to be held in February next year, hectic preparations are being made by the election authoritiesas well asall the political parties.The full team of the Election Commission visited the state on November 28. The commission met leaders of all the national political parties separately and herd the issues raised by them. They also supervised the administrative preparedness. At a press meet, the EC team indicated that the electionin Tripura would be held as scheduled.

Before coming to the anti-democratic, disruptive role of the BJP ahead of theassembly election, let us see the performance of the major political parties in the last assembly and parliamentary elections:

Inby-elections to severalassembly seats since 2013, the BJP has emerged stronger with a big chunk of Congress supporters switching to it after it assumed power at the Centre in 2014.Out of 10 Congress legislators, six defected to the TMC in 2016 and the entire set of TMC MLAs again defected to the BJP in August, 2017. One Congress MLA resigned from the assembly on the advice of the CPI(M) when he expressed interest to join the party. However, he also later joined the BJP. Another Congress MLA, though working for the BJP, did not formally join the party for technical reason to retain his membership in the assembly.  Thus, at present the Congress has only two effectivemembers in the assembly. As a political force, the Congress is largely marginalised though it has a traditional support base in all parts of the state.

Barring the tenure of the Congress-TUJSregime in 1988-92, Tripura carries high reputation for free, fair and peaceful election.Tripura is also known to have a unique friendship and harmony among various ethnic and religious communities which is uncommon in any other northeastern state.

But the peace-loving democratic masses are very concerned about the attitude of the opposition parties, mainly the RSS-BJP combine which has calculatedly targeted to disturbthe peace and ethnic and communal harmony in the state. The unique communal and ethnic friendly atmosphere in the state is the outcome of a prolong ideological campaignagainst parochial forces such as TNV, ATTF, NLFT and now IPFT. The CPI(M)-ledLeft Front carried forward the movement, at the cost of martyrdom of hundreds of its leaders and cadres. Harmonious relation between tribal and non-tribal populations and various religious communities is the foundation of the Left Front government and a precondition for sustained development.   

Attempt to Disturb Communal Harmony

To set in a chaotic situation, to ignite a communal flare-up in the state, the BJP resorted to defacement or breaking of idols of Hindu temples, desecration of mosques, etc. Such subversive attempts have taken place at Tepania, Jamjuri, Rajdharnagar of Udaipur sub-division, Gaburchhara of Belonia and Dhanpur of Sonamurasub-division. The placesof such activities were mostly areas with a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims.Conspicuously, wherever such an incidenttookplace, the BJP staged protests with banners and flexes prepared in advance. The complicity of local BJP leaders behind such heinous acts has been exposed in Dhanpur, the assembly constituency of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, and in Gaburchhara of Belonia. Policearrested two BJP workers on the charge of desecration of temple idols. But in every place, the peace-loving people frustrated the BJP’s attempt to vitiate the rational sense of the people of either community.

Naturally, the issue of communal harmonyfinds prominent place in the Left Front rallies and campaigns. OnNovember 13, state BJP president Biplab Deb in a press meet expressed displeasure over making this an issue by the Left Front. However, he neither disowns the arrested person as the workers of his party nor condemned the hated acts of breaking of idols.  

BJP’s indulgence in Separate State Demand

While in one front the BJP is trying to create hatred and distrust between Hindus and Muslims, in another front itis using IPFT(NC) as a pawn to create ethnic passion between tribal population and Bengalis. The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura- Narendra Debbarma groupis a tribal chauvinist party andopen political wing of the outlawed NLFT whose main battle-cry is ‘Independent Tripura’. IPFT(NC)’smain demand is a bit softer than that of the NLFT, i.e. creation of separate ‘Twipraland state’ curbing out the existing TTAADC area. Even though they are aware that, it is absurd and infeasible to divide already a tiny state like Tripura, the prime minister’s office has been patronising the IPFT(NC) group with this parochial demandonly to break the age-old amity of tribaland non-tribal populations of the state. In one leaflet, the IPFT(NC) admitted that the prime minister’s office responded positively to its separate ‘Twipraland’ demand.So far, not a singleprogrammeorganised by the IPFT(NC) ended peacefully without any violent incident.

Between July 10-20, the IPFT(NC) organised blockade on Assam-Agartala national highway at Khamtingbari, the foothills of Baramura Hills.While the impasse created serious popular discontent and IPFT(NC) leaders were trying to negotiate with the central ministers, the state BJP gheraoed the chief minister’s official residence. The BJP directly provided the outfit moral, monetary and material assistance during the blockade to garner electoral mileage in the tribal areas.

On September 19, there was a central rally of the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad (GMP) in Agartala. GMP is an affiliated organisation of the AIKS and was established by legendary Communist leader Dasaratha Deb.  While tribal people were coming to Agartala to join the rally in vehicles, IPFT(NC) miscreants obstructed the rally-bound people with arms, damaged about 60 vehicles and inflicted serious injury to about 100 GMP supporters. In separate two incidents the next day, IPFT(NC) hoodlums killed Shantanu Bhowmik, a young televisionjournalist, when he was covering their roadblockadeat Mandwai and kidnapped a driver, Jiban Debnath, at Dukmali.His decomposed body was recovered about a month later from a shallow land. In both cases, several IPFT(NC) followers were arrested by the police. Now the BJP is trying to prove arrested IPFT(NC) workers innocent.

BJP leaders are provoking their cadres to carry on violent attacks onCPI(M) cadres, supporters,party offices and the offices of its mass organisations. A list of 13 party offices and threemass organisation offices which were attacked, ransacked and vandalised by the BJP and its ally IPFT(NC) was submitted to the Election Commission.

Politics over Dead Bodies

The BJP is alwaysonthehunt for a dead body. There was an incident of murder of GourhariMalsum of Atharobhola, Udaipur, Gomati District onNovember 29.Soon, the BJP raised a hue and cry claiming that Gourhari was a BJP worker and was killed as a result of the CPI(M)’s drive for annihilation of the opposition. Citing this incident, the BJP raised the demand for President’s Rule in the state. Police investigation showed that he was killed in a family feud.

The body of Sunil Deb of Kanchanpur in North Tripura was found in a drain on December 16. Here too, the BJP leaders declared that Sunil Deb was their worker and alleged that the CPI(M) was behind his murder.They staged a protest in parts of the state. Police investigation revealed that he was killed by his tenant over a court case.

On December 4, Shankhajoy Tripura, a CPI(M) worker and actor, was shot deadat Natinmanu in Dhalaidistrict. A BJP worker was arrested in connection with the killing. The BJP, instead of condemning the killing, gheraoed the police station demanding the release of the accused.

Central ministers and ministers of BJP-ruled neighbouring states are regularly visiting the state. Some are coming in official programme and some on party work. They are making wild, unfounded charges against the state government.  Flouting minimum decency and decorum, they even make personal attack against the chief minister.

False Allegationsabout Electoral Roll

The BJP made a complaint to the Election Commission about massive irregularities in the electoral roll of the state and demanded holding election only after extensive revision of the roll which requires six to seven months.The objective of such a demand is clearly to drag the election beyond the tenure of the present government. It may be recalled that the allegation of massive irregularities was also raised by the Congress ahead of the 2013 assembly polls. Now the BJP is resorting to the same ploy.Revision of electoral roll is a continuous process. Every year there is a special drive for revision involving all political parties.Making such complaint of massive irregularities in the electoral roll is nothing but finding an excuse in advance for the imminent defeat.

Threats of Delaying Election

Addressing a rally at Teliamura inKhowaidistrict onApril 14, state BJP President Biplab Deb said, “…As election was held in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, it will be held in same manner in Tripura also.  Even if Manik Sarkar himself cast his vote for his party, that will be recorded in favour of lotus (BJP’s election symbol).” The CPI(M)made a complaint to the Election Commissionwith a video CD of the speech and some paper clippings. It is yet to be known whether the commission has taken any action on this complaint.In another rally in Bishalgarh on November 15, Deb claimed that if peaceful atmosphere does not prevailin the state, the election would be postponed. With such utterances, the BJP leader is undermining the sanctity of the Election Commission which is a constitutional body withthe sole authority to decide the schedule of election in any particular state.

Money Power     

The BJP being the richest party in the country is trying to distort or purchase the people’s mandate in Tripura. It is spending huge amounts in its campaign. It is trying to lure the youths by providing them costly smart phones and bikes.It is also reported that the people joining BJP rallies are being paid money.

It has been reported that some print and electronic media outlets have also been bribed by BJP leaders to work for them in the election.False and fabricated stories are being spread castigating the CPI(M)and its leaders in an organised manner. These pet media outlets are working overnight to establish the falsehood spread by the BJP. Any incident of apolitical nature is being given political colour to level allegations against the CPI(M).

Left Front’s Impressive Rallies& Demonstrations

Three huge rallies of the Tripura Rajya UpajatiGanamuktiParishad, Scheduled Caste Coordination Committee and the working people of the state at the call of the CITUwere held in Agartala. Four student-youth organisations held rallies in sub-divisions. At the call of the AIDWA state committee, padayatras and rallies were held at area and sub-division levels. That followed the polling booth-wise padayatras at the call of the CPI(M). Various issues such as communal agenda of the BJP-RSS, anti-people and corporate-friendly policies of the central government, the disruptive activities of the BJP in the stateare being highlighted in the Left Front campaign.Democratic and peace-loving people of Tripura are on the streets to accomplish their victory fighting all odds.