The Leftists in Tripura raised voice against alleged violence in West Bengal Panchayat polls and blamed the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
To protest against the alleged violence during the panchayat polls, party leaders and workers staged a protest rally on Friday.
Former leader of the opposition and CPIM Politburo member, Manik Sarkar, criticized the ruling Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) in West Bengal, alleging that the recently held panchayat election resulted in loss of lives and turned the entire election process into a mockery.
During the rally, Manik Sarkar addressed the party workers, accusing TMC members of engaging in proxy voting.
He claimed that they unlawfully seized ballot papers from polling officials to cast votes in favor of their own candidates a day before the actual polling. On the day of voting, supporters of opposition parties were allegedly hindered and attacked, even inside the polling booths.
Sarkar claimed that violence persisted during the counting process and its aftermath, with TMC supporters even confiscating certificates from winning opposition candidates.
Furthermore, Manik Sarkar criticized the State Election Commission (SEC) in Bengal and the police administration for not maintaining neutrality during the elections.
He alleged that they acted in favor of Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, facilitating the party’s retention of power in West Bengal.
Regarding Tripura, Sarkar asserted that widespread violence similar to that of West Bengal did not occur after the 2018 assembly elections.
According to him, this was due to the fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prevented nearly 96% of opposition candidates from submitting their nomination papers.
Manik Sarkar also directed his criticism towards the ruling BJP in Tripura. He highlighted the contradiction between the BJP’s stance in Bengal, where they claim to fight for democracy, and their actions in Tripura, where they allegedly suppress democratic processes.
Sarkar accused the BJP of orchestrating terror during elections since 2018. He further stated that the people of Tripura did not support the BJP in the recent 2023 assembly elections, as evidenced by the party receiving less than 40% of the votes.