The CPI(M) and the Congress under the banner of "democratic and secular" forces are set to organise a rally here on January 21 in a bid to "save the Constitution" and "restore democracy in Tripura" ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
Those who will join the rally will not carry flags of any political party, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Choudhury and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman said in a joint press conference on Thursday.
A delegation of participants of the programme will submit a representation to Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao.
“The people, who wish to save the Constitution and restore democracy in Tripura, will join the mega event in front of Rabindra Bhavan and will not carry flags of any political party. They will hold the national flag," Roy Barman said.
Advertisement
Choudhury voiced concern over the "growing" pre-poll violence in the state and claimed that the "people could not vote since the BJP came to power" in the northeastern state in 2018.
Choudhury appealed to the people to join the mega rally as their democratic rights will be "under threat if democracy is not restored in the state".
Claiming that the law and order situation has "deteriorated alarmingly" in the poll-bound state, Roy Barman said the people's experience in the past elections since the 2018 assembly polls was "not encouraging".
“We will submit a representation to the CEO to ensure that electors can exercise their democratic right, which was not possible in the previous elections," he said
Advertisement
Asked about Tipra Motha joining the 'democratic and secular forces', Choudhury said the regional party's supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has "endorsed the spirit of the CPI(M)-Congress initiative" to defeat the BJP.
“He also does not want to see a split in the anti-BJP votes in the coming elections to ensure the defeat of the ruling party. We had talks with Tipra Motha chief and told him that the CPI(M) is ready to give maximum autonomy within the constitutional framework for the upliftment of indigenous people but we are against bifurcation of the state," he said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leaders and Congress bigwigs on Thursday held their first meeting on seat sharing between the two parties but "no final decision" was taken yet, the functionary of both parties said.
Elections to the 60-member Tripura assembly will be held on February 16.
