Ensure free, fair polls to tribal council: Manik to Tripura govt

Dismissing BJP and Tipra Motha’s claims of winning all seats in the tribal council elections, former CM Manik Sarkar on Thursday said the true mandate would emerge only if people are able to vote without fear.
Speaking to reporters at Bishalgarh in Sipahijala district, Sarkar said it was illogical for both parties to predict a clean sweep when they were contesting the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections separately.
“Both the BJP and Tipra Motha are claiming they will win all 28 seats. If that happens, the council would need to have 56 seats instead of 28,” he said.
The Tipra Motha is currently in power in the council.
Reiterating the CPI(M)’s demand for free and fair elections, Sarkar said the true mandate would emerge only if voters are able to participate without fear.
“We have repeatedly demanded that the elections be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere so that voters can exercise their franchise freely,” he said.
Alleging large-scale irregularities during the last TTAADC elections in 2021, Sarkar claimed voters were prevented from entering polling booths, and violence was widespread.
“The 2021 district council election was not an election at all. There were massive attacks on CPI(M) workers and candidates, and voters were stopped from casting their votes,” he alleged. He asserted that the ruling parties’ predictions would prove wrong if voters were allowed to vote freely this time.
“If we can reach the people and they are allowed to vote properly, there is no doubt that their claim of winning all 28 seats will fail,” Sarkar said. The elections are slated to be held in April.