Tripura: CPI- M, Congress hold rally, demand end to pre-poll violence

As the Congress and the CPI-M led Left parties are inching closer to contest the assembly polls, the parties organised a joint rally in Agartala demanding an end to pre-poll violence and to ensure free, fair, transparent elections to the 60-member Tripura assembly on February 16.

It is first time that the arch rivals organised joint rally. Four-time Tripura Chief Minister and CPI-M politburo member Manik Sarkar, party’s state Secretary JItendra Chowdhury, Tripura state Congress President Birajit Sinha, AICC Tripura in-charge Ajay Kumar, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, his father and former Chief Minister Samir Ranjan Barman, AICC secretary Szarita Laitphlang and many other leaders of the two parties led the rally.

Displaying banners and placards with ‘My Vote, My Right’, ‘Stop Poll Violence’, thousands of opposition Congress and Left Front leaders, members and workers took out the rally with thousands of National Flags.


After the rally leaders of the seven parties – Congress, CPI-M, CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc, CPI (ML) and Tripura People’s Party met Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao, and other senior police officials.

Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman said that Saturday’s rally is not a political activity, it's an effort to honour people’s aspirations.

“The CEO assured us and said all our concerns would be considered and that the ECI would take all steps to ensure free and fair elections. Goons may attack but we shall take necessary steps against those involved,” Roy Barman said quoting the CEO.