Tripura CPIM announces candidates for by-elections amidst accusations of suppression

The Tripura Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) has unveiled its candidate lineup for the forthcoming by-elections set to take place on September 5 in the Boxanagar and Dhanpur Assembly Constituencies within Tripura's Sepahijala district.

During a press conference, Narayan Kar, the Convener of Tripura Left Front, disclosed that Mijan Hossain, the son of the late MLA Samsul Haque, will be the contender for Boxanagar. In the Dhanpur Assembly constituency, Kaushik Chanda will be the candidate, having previously contested from the same seat during the 2023 Assembly Election against Union Minister of State Pratima Bhoumik.

Kar further shared that both candidates are set to submit their nomination papers on August 16.

"At this critical juncture, when the government's actions are challenging the foundations of the Indian Constitution, democracy itself is under threat," remarked Kar. "The current situation is perilous, with citizens bearing the brunt. The nation appears to be moving towards autocracy, raising serious concerns. In the 2023 Assembly election, the ruling party employed various tactics to suppress the voice of the common people and opposition political parties, while the administration remained passive observers," he added.

Kar alleged that the ruling party has engaged in fascistic measures, asserting that in both constituencies, CPIM is being prevented from conducting any political activities.

"We are not even allowed to open our offices. In such circumstances, we have decided to contest against them. We call upon all opposition political parties to join forces to defeat the BJP. Furthermore, we demand the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to ensure a free and fair election," he stated