Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that the decision of the state’s main opposition party Tipra Motha not to participate in the by-elections will benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
However, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) also claimed that the move would consolidate anti-BJP votes.
Tipra Motha, the main opposition party in BJP-ruled Tripura, had on Friday (01 August) said that it will not support any party in the by-elections to be held on September 5 on Dhanpur and Boxanagar seats of Sipahijala district.
CM Shaha told PTI, ‘Tipra Motha’s decision is important because it did not join the efforts of opposition parties to mobilize anti-BJP votes. Our party will definitely benefit from this decision. I am confident that the BJP will win both the seats with a margin of huge votes.
Saha, who is leading the party’s campaign for the bypolls, said there is a “wrong perception” about the BJP among people. The BJP had lost the Boxanagar seat in the state assembly elections this year. The minority community has more than 50 percent voters in the Boxanagar assembly constituency. At the same time, due to division of anti-BJP votes, the party had won the Dhanpur seat.
Saha said after the party meeting here, ‘This time we have been successful in eradicating the misconception. This was possible with the Prime Minister’s slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. The Prime Minister is working for everyone, not for people of any particular community.
However, CPI(M) state unit secretary Jitendra Chowdhary claimed that Tipra Motha workers are working with Left activists. He told, ‘Tipra Motha’s announcement (not to contest the bypoll) is a strategic statement. The ground reality is that Tipra Motha and CPI (M) workers are working together for the bypolls. Apart from this, he has not even asked the voters to vote in favor of BJP.
By-election has become necessary after the death of CPI (M) MLA Samsul Haq in the Boxanagar assembly seat. At the same time, after the resignation of Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik from the post of MLA of Dhanpur, the by-election is being held on this seat.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front has fielded Kaushik Chanda from Dhanpur and Mizan Hussain from Boxanagar. Whereas, BJP has fielded Taffazal Hussain from Boxanagar and Bindu Debnath from Dhanpur.
Tipra Motha President BK Hrangkhawal had told reporters on Friday, ‘Tipra Motha has not fielded any candidate in the by-election. We will not ask party workers and supporters to vote for any specific candidate in the by-election”.
Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Debbarma had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on August 26 before the by-elections and discussed the rights and welfare of the indigenous people.
The main contest in the by-elections is believed to be between BJP and CPI(M). The Left party had recently discussed with Tipra Motha and requested for support for the by-elections. Congress is not contesting the bypolls.
