Tripura by-polls: Left Front alleges rigging, to boycott counting of votes

The Opposition Left Front has announced the boycott of the counting of votes polled in the by-polls to Tripura’s Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly seats on Tuesday, maintaining the elections were rigged. The counting is due on Friday.

The Left Front has demanded fresh by-polls in Boxanagar and Dhanpur, where 89.2% and 83.92% polling was recorded. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) were in a direct contest. The TIPRA Motha and Congress did not put up their candidates for the by-polls.

Left Front convener Narayan Kar said they demanded countermanding of the “rigged election” and a fresh polling but surprisingly the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not budged. Kar added the ECI’s “motive” is clear. “Therefore, we have decided to boycott the counting of rigged voting.”

CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury on Tuesday wrote to the ECI demanding fresh polls while calling the by-polls to the two constituencies a mockery. He alleged the BJP rigged elections in both the constituencies with involvement of a section of police and civil administration through an “ extraordinary terror situation.”

Chaudhury accused minister Bikash Debbarma and BJP lawmaker Rampada Jamatia of rallying “ outsiders” to force the voters to either stay away or vote for the ruling party. He demanded Debbarma’s arrest.