Communists' 67 yrs old Tripura saga comes to abrupt end
By Biswendu Bhattacharjee
Agartala, May 23 , 2019 :The journey of CPI (M) that began in 1952 elections in Tripura has ended up with the loss on two seats that it contested in the 17th Lok Sabha polls.
The party's massive electorate share of 53 per cent till last year's assembly elections, when it was ruling the state diminished to 17 per cent in these polls.
Both the sitting MPs of CPI (M) are waiting for the formal announcement of their defeat by EC.
The uninterrupted winning history of CPI (M) in Loksabha since 1996 has been bull-dozed in this election. While Congress gained its support base in a year from 1.8 per cent to 26 per cent, CPI (M) fell down from 43 percent votes.
The electoral history of Communists in Tripura is as old as 67 years that represented the state in Lok Sabha except four elections since beginning.
The Congress had won Loksabha seats first time in 1967 followed by 1977, 1989 and 1991 in Tripura. The Loksabha election this time not only pushed out CPI (M) from the electoral battle, also boost congress in significant manner, which was dormant in the state politics for last five years.
The BJP’s ally in the state government, IPFT has lost badly in the elections that put a question mark on its existence in the government as well as in politics.
The Revenue Minister of Biplab Deb’s cabinet and IPFT chief N C Debbarma who won Takarjala seats in assembly poll by a margin of 3 percent vote have lost this battle from East Tripura seats by getting only 5 percent of the total votes.
Similarly, IPFT MLA Brishketu Debbarma won Simna seat in last year assembly election by 12 per cent margin has lost Loksabha fight in West Tripura by gaining only 4.6 per cent votes.
The IPFT had won eight out of nine assembly seats; they contested in last assembly elections and got two ministers in the cabinet as well as several other important posts in various corporations landed into the electoral battle against major partner of Tripura government BJP to demonstrate their strength in the hill state. But the poor show in Lok Sabha made their exit path easy and securing opposition bench in the assembly, said a senior leader of BJP.
“As per the alliance agreement between BJP and IPFT, central government has already formed high power committee to look into the socio-economic and cultural issues of tribals in Tripura. And Tripura government has already implemented a large number of schemes for tribals in Tripura. Inspite of all, fighting against BJP in Loksabha without resigning from the cabinet probed the opportunist stand of IPFT,” he stated.
So far, BJP candidate in West Tripura Pratima Bhowmik secured over 51 percent votes amounting to 5.70 lakh voters where as her nearest rival Subal Bhowmik of congress got over 24 percent count 2.66 lakh votes.
In East Tripura BJP candidate Rabati Tripura secured 46 per cent of the total vote counts i e 4.79 lakhs while his congress rival Maharajkumari Pragya Dev Burman got 27 percent counting to 2.76 lakh votes.
“The announcement of result will take few more hours after completion of counting of postal ballots,” said CEO Sriram Taranikanti adding that there was no report of any violence during counting across 17 centres across the state.
Meanwhile, CPI (M) in statement while accepting the defeat alleged that as many as 48 of its counting agents in different locations of South Tripura and Sepahijala districts were injured and shifted to hospital following attack of the ruling party cadres during the counting.
They also alleged that the local leaders of CPI (M) have been attacked by the ruling party workers in Ramnagar area of Agartala, Jirania, Teliamura, Khowai and Ambassa in the evening. A few houses were attacked and burnt down in eastern parts of Agartala and party offices in Panisagar of North Tripura were vandalised. (UNI)