AGARTALA: Tripura CPI-M state committee secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has written a letter to the state’s chief electoral officer (CEO) to take “appropriate steps” against BJP candidates and ministers for allegedly ‘violating’ model code of conduct (MCC).
He also demanded a thorough investigation with impartial officer.
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In the letter to the Tripura CEO Puneet Agarwal, Chaudhury who is also an MLA said that state BJP minister Sushanta Chowdhury, and party’s candidate from Boxanagar constituency Md Tofazaal Hussain and other BJP leaders addressed a hall meeting of government employees at Manikyanagar on August 27.
“On 28th August, chief minister Manik Saha himself addressed a meeting of the Madrasa teachers and the Muslim Imams at Kamalnagar under 20-Boxanagar constituency. My simple question to the Election Authority is, whether any candidate of a political party seeking vote in an election can exclusively mobilize and address the government employees urging for vote including those who have been drafted for election duty? What does the Election Manual say? If not, why legal proceedings should not be drawn against the violators? Earlier also, On 20th August, the BJP candidates, and leaders organized such meetings with Madrasa Teachers which I look to your notice. On 24th August, 2023 BJP leaders directed all Asha Workers of the SubDivision to attend the BJP meeting at Boxanagar Community Hall and Matingar Community Hall threatening them to be sacked if they don’t turn up,” the Tripura CPI-M leader said.
The letter further said that in both the meetings BJP minister Tinku Roy bribed Asha Workers present there with a Saree and an envelope of Rs 1000 each.
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“One tribal minister Bikash Debbarma going to the tribal areas promised the poor tribals to instantly sanction Rubber plantation on submission of the land papers. He was collecting land documents from the villagers promising sanction of Rubber Plantation. Video clip of his allurement was forwarded to the CEO by me on 24th August last. Ratanlal Nath, Minister in various places propagating that, after 12 noon on the poll day CPI(M) workers would not be seen in any of the polling booths, thereby signaling provocation to the BJP followers to drive out the opposition polling agents and voters from the polling booths,” the Tripura CPI-M leader further alleged.
Jiten further claimed that he has valid reasons to apprehend, that ruling BJP will desperately try to manipulate the election on September 5.
“Under such a circumstances, it is expected that the Election Authority would take appropriate steps against the violators after thorough investigation with an impartial officers and take immediate preventive measures to stop such violations of MCC for the sake of conduct of the bye-elections in free, fair and peaceful manner,” he added.