PEOPLE all over the West Tripura parliamentary seat came out to demand countermanding the poll held on April 11 and hold a fresh poll. At the call of the Left Front, protest marches and dharnas were organised in different subdivisions falling under the constituency. 

As is separately reported in this very issue of People’s Democracy, the CPI(M)  has met the  Election Commission of India and demanded the same, citing major and widespread irregularities on the day of poll. 

Earlier, at a press conference held in Agartala, Tripura Left Front had demanded a fresh poll in the entire constituency. Bijan Dhar, convener of the Left Front remarked that the ECI had said more than 80 per cent voting was recorded, while more than 50 per cent voters could not exercise their democratic rights. So, he said, the Commission should in the best interests of democracy, order a fresh poll in the entire West Tripura seat. 

At the call of the Left Front on April 30, people hit the streets demanding a fresh poll.  CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar,  Bijan Dhar,  CPI(M) state secretary Gautam Das, Central Committee member Rama Das,  state secretariat members Manik Dey, Naresh Jamatia, Subrata Chakrabarty,  Radhacharan Debbarma, CPI state secretary Ranjit Majumdar,  RSP state secretariat member Gopal Das, Left Front  candidate for West Tripura Sankar Prasad Datta led the  protest march. 

Later in a street corner meeting, Bijan Dhar said, this demand for fresh poll is the demand of all the secular, democratic, peace-loving people who want to exercise their democratic rights freely. The Commission cannot evade the responsibility of failing to provide the people an atmosphere of peaceful voting.  The state government and the ruling BJP party are primarily responsible for what happened on April 11.