GUWAHATI: In BJP-ruled Tripura, the CPI(M)-led Left Front will boycott Friday’s counting of votes of the “rigged” by-elections to two Assembly seats.
Boxanagar and Dhanpur constituencies, which went to by-elections on September 5, had recorded a combined voter turnout of 86.56%.
The Left Front alleged the by-polls were “completely rigged and made a farce”. It said although it had drawn the attention of the Election Commission time and again right from the beginning of polling, no positive steps were taken to prevent rigging.
“In this backdrop, the Tripura Left Front demanded to countermand the rigged election to these two constituencies and go for announcement of fresh election. But surprisingly, the Election Commission has not budged,” the Left Front said.
“Under such circumstances…we have decided to boycott the counting of votes on 8th August, 2023,” the statement further said.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Choudhury said the party would not depute any agents at the counting centres. He alleged the party’s polling agents could not attend duties in nearly half of the 110 polling stations on the day of elections due to attacks and threats by BJP workers.
The BJP rubbished the charges. The party claimed the elections were held in a free and fair manner and that there was a festive mood among voters.
The Congress and the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) did not contest the polls to avoid the division of anti-BJP votes. The TMP had earlier declared that it would neither support the BJP nor the CPI(M) but the Congress had campaigned for the two CPI(M) candidates.
The CPI(M) candidates were Mizan Hossain (Boxanagar) and Kaushik Chanda (Dhanpur). The BJP had fielded Taffajal Hossain (Boxanagar) and Bindu Debnath (Dhanpur).
The by-elections to Dhanpur seat were necessitated by Union minister Pratima Bhoumik’s resignation from the Assembly. In Boxanagar, the death of sitting MLA Samsul Haque was the reason behind the by-polls.