The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) on Tuesday lodged a complaint to the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Tripura against Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Pratima Bhowmik and the state’s agriculture minister Ratan Lal Nath for allegedly violating model code of conduct by assuring to build a market building in poll-bound Dhanpur constituency.
Dhanpur and Boxanagar constituencies in Sepahijala district would go for bypolls on September 5. The seats had fallen vacant due to the resignation of Bhowmik after winning the last assembly polls from Dhanpur constituency and the death of CPI(M) legislator of Boxanagar, Samsul Haque.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPI(M) have fielded candidates in both the seats.
In a letter written to CEO Puneet Agarwal on August 22, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury alleged that Bhowmik and Nath , on August 20, assured the traders to construct a three-storied market building at Bashpukur area that falls under Dhanpur constituency. He accused that both the central and state ministers wilfully violated the model code of conduct to influence the voters in favour of the BJP candidates.
“....while campaigning for the BJP candidates at Bashpukur under 23-Dhanpur Constituency, Union minister of State Smt. Pratima Bhowmik and state minister for agriculture Sri Ratan lal Nath assured the traders of Bashpukur market that a three-storied market building would be constructed in this market. Both of them also asked the traders to suggest site of the market building and assured them that the government engineers would visit the place on 23rd August to make a plan and estimate for the building....,” Chaudhury wrote in the letter.
{{/usCountry}}“....while campaigning for the BJP candidates at Bashpukur under 23-Dhanpur Constituency, Union minister of State Smt. Pratima Bhowmik and state minister for agriculture Sri Ratan lal Nath assured the traders of Bashpukur market that a three-storied market building would be constructed in this market. Both of them also asked the traders to suggest site of the market building and assured them that the government engineers would visit the place on 23rd August to make a plan and estimate for the building....,” Chaudhury wrote in the letter.
{{/usCountry}}Chaudhury also requested the CEO to prohibit their movement in the poll-bound areas in both the constituencies and adopt appropriate measures against them for violating the model code of conduct.
“ I request you, for the fairness of election, to kindly order forbidding their movement in the election-bound areas in both the constituencies and take appropriate measures against the violators,” said the letter.
There was no immediate reaction from the BJP. The story will be updated with the party’s reaction.