BJP's 'misdeeds' brought CPI (M), Congress together in Tripura: Manik Sarkar

Veteran CPI (M) leader and former CM Manik Sarkar on Wednesday said that BJP's "misdeeds and misrule" in the past five years prompted the left front and Congress to join hands for the first time in Tripura with target to remove the saffron party from the state.

"BJP is trying to confuse the people ahead of the elections by asking why the CPI (M) and Congress have joined hands despite fighting against each other all these years. Our answer is that BJP's misdeeds and misrule have brought us together. We appealed to all the secular and democratic parties in Tripura to come together in order to fight against the fascist BJP and their continuous efforts to destroy democracy, secularism and the Constitutional institutions. We are happy that Congress and CPI (M) leaders both at the state and at the central level realised the need and decided to join hands this time against BJP," Sarkar said while addressing a rally at Jojalibari Assembly constituency in South Tripura district.

Also Read | Tripura: Manik Sarkar not to fight polls; 24 new faces in CPI(M) list

Sarkar's comment comes at a time when BJP leaders including CM Manik Saha have called the seat-sharing arrangement between the Opposition CPI (M) and Congress in Tripura as an "unholy alliance" as the two parties fought against each other in the past.

According to the seat-sharing arrangement, which is first in Tripura's political history, the CPI (M) would contest in 43 seats (out of 60) while 13 were left for Congress. The Forward Block, RSP, CPI and an Independent candidate would contest the one seat each. Congress, however, put up 17 candidates saying that two parties would have a "friendly fight" in four seats.

Sarkar had served as Tripura CM for four consecutive terms between 1998 and 2018. BJP and its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), however, wrested power and formed their government for the first time in 2018.

"BJP managed to lure the people before the 2018 elections with big promises. But after coming to power, they realised their failure to meet the promises. So BJP started attacking the Opposition parties, all dissenting voices and the media in order to ensure that no one could raise a protest against their failure. They demolished our offices, attacked our workers and did not allow us to organise meetings in order to make people aware about the failures. More than 50 journalists were injured in attacks in the past five years under the BJP rule," Sarkar said. "They have also threatened police against discharging their duties during targeted violence in Tripura," he said.

"BJP must be defeated in order to restore peace, democratic atmosphere and the rule of law in Tripura. People have now become aware and they will vote this time to remove BJP and its ally IPFT from power," Sarkar said.

Sarkar, 74, recently decided not to contest the elections anymore and help CPI (M) in organisational matters and use his experience during campaigns against BJP.

Central forces:

Police in Tripura on Wednesday said 400 companies of central forces would be deployed in order to ensure peaceful conduct of elections in the state. In a statement, Jyotishman Das, assistant inspector general (law and order) said on Tuesday that 200 companies of the Central forces would reach the state by this week.

The EC had earlier announced that violence-free elections in Tripura was their priority. The EC said all 3,328 polling stations in the state would have central forces, apart from the state police and other security personnel in order to prevent violence during polling.

Polling for Tripura Assembly will be conducted on February 16.