CPI (M) demands re-poll amid allegations of election rigging

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Sep 06, 2023

Agartala, Sep 6 (FD) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded for a complete re-poll in the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies allegedly for large scale rigging by the ruling party supporters.

The Marxist party termed the Sept 5 by-elections for the two constituencies as "farcical exercise".

The party has also demanded arrest of Minister Bikash Debbarma, who allegedly led the rigging and also demanded immediate suspension of the Superintendent of Police (Sepahijala) and other poll officials.

The convener of the CPI (M), Narayan Kar, made these demands in a letter addressed to the Election Commission of India. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken control of the whole administration and election machinery in Sonamura subdivision, where these constituencies are located, since the final deadline for nominations on August 17.

According to Kar, the BJP sheltered goons had created a reign of terror to create a fear psychosis in the constituencies and specifically threatened CPI-M workers.

Furthermore, Kar stated that during the recent election, even the CPI (M) candidate in Boxanagar, Mizan Hossain, had to remain confined at home due to safety concerns. The Left Front was only able to place polling agents in approximately 60% of the total 110 polling booths across both constituencies.

Kar pointed out that in the previous assembly polls held in February, 63% of voters did not cast their ballots in favour of the BJP. With no significant effort by the ruling party to increase their vote share over the past six months, the Left Front alleges that the BJP resorted to widespread rigging and malpractices. FD SB JK