E-Paper
Tripura bypolls: Boxanagar records 89.2% voter turnout, 83.92% in Dhanpur
The opposition CPI(M) wrote to the Election Commission of India, demanding fresh polls at both the constituencies, claiming that polls in these two constituencies had turned into a mockery
The bypolls at Boxanagar and Dhanpur constituencies in Tripura’s Sepahijala district recorded at 89.2 % and 83.92% polling, respectively, according to latest reports on Tuesday, said an official from the Chief Electoral Office (CEO).
The voting was held at a total 110 polling stations amidst tight security. Barring a few polling stations, voting began at 7am. Till latest information came in, the polling went off peacefully with reports of one or two incidents of violence, the official said.
“The polling rate is good. I came to know about an incident at Boxanagar, where a person got minor injuries,” said district election officer and Sepahijala district magistrate Vishal Kumar.
The bypolls were necessitated after the seats fell vacant following the death of Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) legislator of Boxanagar constituency Samsul Haque and the resignation of Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Pratima Bhoumik, who won from Dhanpur seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
The ruling BJP and opposition CPIM had a direct fight against each other in the bypolls as the TIPRA Motha and Congress didn’t put up their candidates.
The Congress decided to support the CPI(M) though they initially expressed dissatisfaction over the CPI(M)’s declaration of candidates without any consultation with them.
Three days ago, Tripura’s opposition party TIPRA Motha announced not to support anyone in the bypolls though the CPI(M) claimed that the TIPRA Motha was campaigning in favour of the CPI(M) in the two constituencies.
CPI(M) candidate of Dhanpur constituency Kaushik Chanda alleged false voting in many polling booths and claimed that the opposition supporters were being threatened by hooligans despite security forces deployed at the polling stations.
However, BJP candidate of the same constituency Bindu Debnath rejected the allegations. She said that the voters came out in support of peace and development.
Later in the evening, the CPI(M) wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding to conduct fresh polls at both the constituencies, claiming that polls in these two constituencies had turned into a mockery.
“ The bye-elections in 20-Boxanagar and 23-Dhanpur Assembly Constituency have been totally rigged by the ruling BJP miscreants using a section of the police and civil administration through an extraordinary terror situation”, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury wrote in the letter.
He raised allegation against Tripura Tribal Welfare minister Bikash Debbarma and BJP MLA Rampada Jamatia for rallying “ outsiders” in the poll-bound constituencies to prevent the voters from entering polling centres or forcing them to cast vote for the BJP.
Prior to conducting fresh polls, Chaudhury demanded arrest of Bikash Debbarma and removal of Sepahijala superintendent of police (SP) and returning officers of both the seats.
BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said, “ The by-polls passed peacefully. The voters voted freely. The CPI(M) knows about their loss and that’s why they are making baseless allegations.”
