Tripura Left Front retains old guards as candidates for Lok Sabha election

“We shall appeal voters to support our candidates like they have done in previous elections,” Dhar said, adding that the alternative government, which would replace the BJP-led NDA government, can’t be strong enough unless the Left parties are strengthened.

When asked if the Left Front would try to forge an alliance with Congress, Dhar ruled out the possibility but said it try maximising anti-BJP votes. “We shall not forge any alliance with Congress. We shall contest against BJP and IPFT in Tripura,” he stated.

The communist leader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of creating severe unemployment crisis in the country and said attacks on Dalits, farmers and tribals peaked in the last 5 years of NDA rule.

“Dalits, farmers and tribal people were worst hit during the last 5 years of NDA government’s rule. Unemployment is increasing severely and farmer suicides are on the roll. There were numerous scams committed in the NDA regime. This government has to go and an alternative government should replace it,” he said.

Earlier this month, CPI (M) state secretary Goutam Das said his party was open to receive support from “secular and democratic” political parties for the Parliament elections, evoking rumours of an alliance with the Congress. However, shortly afterwards, Tripura Congress president Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debburma said no alliance is possible with communists.

Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats with 25,98,290 voters scheduled to exercise their adult franchise rights on April 11 and April 18 at West Tripura and East Tripura Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively. Parliament elections would be held in the state in two phases this year.