Agartala, April 22 . A Congress delegation of Tripura comprising party state president Birjit Sinha and senior leader Sudip Roy Barman led by AICC general secretary Dr Ajoy Kumar met Election Commission of India on Thursday in New Delhi demanding to hold a by-election for four assembly seats of the state deploying central force. The leaders alleged that Tripura doesn’t have the environment to hold peaceful elections under BJP led government and people and political parties have no faith in state police and its machinery. “In just concluded urban bodies election there was massive violence on opposition party leaders and supporters. The BJP cadres didn’t allow the opposition parties candidates in many places to vote where police were mere spectator. Even after repeated directions of Supreme Court the election was not fair and democratic,” the delegation complained ECI. They pointed out that with the preparation of by-poll to four casual vacancies BJP cadres and their leaders including ministers have resorted to terror tactics and openly demonstrated mussel power that hostile the situation. As many as four assembly seats of Tripura became vacant due to the death of CPM MLA R C Nath, the resignation of two BJP MLA – Sudip Roy Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha and cesation of assembly membership of BJP MLA Ashis Das for joining Trinamool Congress. Another MLA of BJP’s ally IPFT Brishaketu Debbarma resigned from the assembly in July last year but Speaker has not yet accepted it. They demanded to hold the by-poll under the full coverage of central force and to ensure all the criminals accused of attacking opposition parties were booked well before the elections. Otherwise, the entire process will be farce. “We asked ECI to send a team and interact with the opposition parties to assess the law and oder situation before announcing the by-poll schedule and ensure that people can vote peacefully,” said PCC president Birjit Sinha.
