The Left Front has demanded free, fair, and peaceful conduct of the TTAADC elections and the by-election to the Dharmanagar Assembly constituency. Last week, leaders of the Tripura Left Front Committee met separately with the State Election Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to press these demands. This was stated by Left Front Convenor Manik Dey at a press conference.

CPI(M) Tripura State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and CPI State Secretary Milon Baidya also addressed the press conference. Besides Manik Dey, the delegation included Milon Baidya, RSP State Secretary Dipak Deb, and All India Forward Bloc leader Raghunath Sarkar.

Manik Dey said that the Left Front had urged both the State Election Commissioner and the CEO to ensure an environment conducive to free, fair, and peaceful elections. He emphasised the need to stop the influence of money power in elections.

He alleged that law and order in the state has collapsed, with an atmosphere of chaos prevailing. Corruption has become institutionalised, while poverty and unemployment are on the rise. In such a situation, the TTAADC elections and the Dharmanagar Assembly by-election are being held. He further claimed that conflicts and clashes are ongoing within the ruling alliance, and attacks on the CPI(M) and other Left Front parties continue. He also alleged that the election schedule for the TTAADC polls was announced late, suggesting that the BJP intended to run the ADC without elections.

According to Manik Dey, the Left Front delegation met the State Election Commissioner in the afternoon and the CEO in the evening, presenting details of irregularities in past elections. He said there is no proper environment for free and fair voting in the state. The Left Front demanded deployment of central paramilitary forces at every polling booth, but the Commissioner could not assure this, stating that forces have been requested but positive responses have not yet been received due to ongoing Assembly elections in five states.

The Left Front also demanded equal campaigning opportunities for all political parties. However, Dey alleged that under the BJP rule, such opportunities are monopolised by the ruling party, while opposition parties are denied them. He cited recent incidents where Left Front campaigns were obstructed in Kalyanpur and a CPI(M) office in Rishyamukh was set on fire. The Election Commissioner assured that instructions would be given to the police regarding such incidents.

On the demand for security for Left Front candidates in the ADC elections, Manik Dey said the Commissioner agreed in principle and promised to take up the matter with the police. He also pointed out difficulties in obtaining campaign permissions in constituencies spanning multiple subdivisions and requested that SDPOs be authorised to grant permissions more easily. The Commissioner said he would look into the matter.

The Left Front also demanded security for polling agents. Dey said they requested the Election Commissioner to direct returning officers and police to ensure that polling agents can safely reach polling stations and return home after voting. He also stressed the need for police picketing in advance to ensure voters can travel to and from polling stations without obstruction.

He further warned that since there will be no voting in non-ADC areas, there is a risk of outsiders entering ADC areas on polling day to create disturbances. Strict surveillance has been demanded to prevent such incidents. The Commissioner assured that outsiders would not be allowed into polling areas after the campaign period ends. The Left Front also raised concerns about cross-border infiltration from international borders. However, the Commissioner could not assure the demand for scanner-based webcasting.

Referring to the meeting with the CEO, Manik Dey said that past experience since the 2018 Assembly elections shows that no election in Dharmanagar has been free or fair. Candidates were attacked and campaigning was obstructed. Left Front candidate Amitabha Dutta has reportedly been attacked multiple times, with attempts made on his life.

The Left Front demanded early deployment of central paramilitary forces and their presence at all polling booths. The CEO assured that the matter would be taken up with the Election Commission. The CEO also promised to strengthen security arrangements for Amitabha Dutta and to take up the matter with the police.

Dey further stated that the CPI(M) Dharmanagar sub-divisional office has been attacked 10–12 times. As this office will serve as the election operations centre for the by-election, the Left Front has demanded permanent police picketing there. The CEO assured that the matter would be brought to the attention of the police.

The Left Front convenor emphasised that the Election Commission must ensure a fear-free environment where all political parties can campaign freely, police remain neutral, polling agents are protected, and voters can cast their votes without intimidation. Increased surveillance along the Bangladesh and Assam borders, restriction on outsiders entering election areas after campaigning ends, and implementation of scanner-based webcasting were also demanded.

Jitendra Chaudhury said that he had raised the issue of ensuring free, fair, and peaceful ADC and Dharmanagar by-elections in the State Assembly during the recently concluded budget session, but the ruling party ignored the appeal and even mocked it. He stressed the need for a level playing field and expressed hope that the State Election Commissioner and CEO would act impartially and firmly to restore the state’s electoral credibility, which had been tarnished in previous elections.

Milon Baidya said that arrangements must be made so that people can vote in a festive and peaceful atmosphere, and that the police should not remain passive observers.
 

CPI(M) opposes use of old EVMs in TTAADC polls

CPI(M) Tripura State Committee Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commission, strongly opposing the decision to use old electronic voting machines (EVMs) without voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) in the upcoming election to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

In a letter to the State Election Commissioner on March 30, he stated that information gathered from the first level checking of EVMs conducted by various returning officers indicates that a decision has been made to use old EVMs without VVPAT. He also noted that this decision has created concern among voters.

Chaudhury further mentioned that there is a nationwide debate regarding the reliability of EVMs, and many experts have raised concerns about the possibility of hacking. However, he emphasised that the presence of VVPAT significantly enhances voter confidence. Therefore, he opined that the Election Commission should ensure the availability of modern EVMs equipped with VVPAT.

He also expressed concern over recent remarks made by Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma. At an election meeting on March 28 at Bachhaibari Community Hall in Khowai subdivision, the minister reportedly said, “Whoever votes for the Tipra Motha, it will go in favour of the BJP.” Chaudhury described this statement as disrespectful to the electoral process and reflective of a lack of faith in democratic principles.

In this context, he put forward three key demands: first, that no EVM should be used without VVPAT; second, that an FIR be filed against Bikash Debbarma for his misleading remarks and that he be barred from election campaigning; and third, that an all-party meeting be convened to discuss various issues raised by the Left Front on March 24.
 

BJP and Tipra Motha are two sides of the same coin: Jitendra Chaudhury

CPI(M) Tripura State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has stated that the BJP and the Tipra Motha are two sides of the same coin. He has appealed to the electorate to defeat them democratically in the upcoming TTAADC elections. Chaudhury made this statement while responding to questions from journalists.

Replying to the media, Chaudhury said that they do not see the BJP and Tipra Motha as separate entities; rather, they are two sides of the same coin. For the past four months, the top leadership of the two parties had been engaged in a war of words, which led to clashes among their supporters, causing injuries and bloodshed. He added that both parties were well aware that a meeting would be held to reach an understanding ahead of the ADC elections, but no agreement was ultimately reached.

Chaudhury further alleged that over the past eight years in the state government and five years in power in the ADC, the BJP and TIPRA Motha have deceived people, spread falsehoods, and been involved in corruption. TIPRA Motha is demanding “Greater Tipraland,” Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) is demanding “Tipraland,” while the BJP is opposing it with a “No Tipraland” stance—yet they continue to govern together. According to him, there is no real conflict between them at the top level. Now, ahead of the ADC elections, the BJP is accusing Motha of corruption, but Choudhury said this situation is of their own making. He asserted that the people of the state clearly understand their intentions, and that his party is fighting against both forces, urging voters to defeat them through democratic means.

Referring to a recent statement made during the concluded Assembly session, where Minister Ratan Lal Nath allegedly threatened to demolish the CPI(M) office using a bulldozer, Chaudhury responded that around 200 BJP offices have been built on government land and should be demolished first. Otherwise, he warned, the people themselves will one day bring them down, adding that such a time is approaching.

In response to another question, Chaudhury said that the BJP does the opposite of what it claims—while it speaks of “zero tolerance,” he questioned under whose protection those involved in incidents at Bishalgarh are operating.