Tripura CPI(M) to hold 12-hour strike over murder of panchayat poll candidate
Left Front convener Narayan Kar alleged that some miscreants backed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked Badal Shil at Rajnagar in South Tripura district on Friday
The Left Front has started a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in Tripura on Sunday protesting against the alleged murder of a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader who was a candidate for the three-tier panchayat elections scheduled to be held on August 8.
The deceased, Badal Shil was the CPI-M’s candidate for Zilla Parishad from South district.
Speaking to the reporters on Saturday, Left Front convener Narayan Kar alleged that some miscreants backed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked Badal Shil at Rajnagar in South Tripura district on Friday.
Shil was taken to a local hospital from where he was referred to the Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) hospital due to his critical condition. Later, he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital on Saturday, said Kar.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury appealed to the people to take part in the 12-hour- long strike.
The poll would be conducted in 6,307 seats in 606 gram panchayats, 423 seats in 35 panchayat samitis and 116 seats in eight zilla parishads through ballot boxes.
The votes would be counted on August 12.
Total 12, 94,060 electorates including 6,58,589 males and 6,35,460 females were enrolled to cast their votes.
The candidates need to file their nomination papers by July 18 and these papers would be scrutinised the subsequent day.
The last date of withdrawal of nomination papers is July 22.
Earlier, the oppositions CPI(M) and Congress sought the State Election Commission to tighten security to ensure free and fair poll and allow the candidates to file their nominations via online.