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Journalism of Courage
Tripura Congress on Saturday alleged that the Election Commission is under political pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP and said the party would move the Supreme Court unless repolls were held in 850 polling stations of West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency which underwent polling on April 11.
“We have got information that PM Modi and ruling BJP is trying to influence the ECI and pressuring the poll body to ensure repolls in as few polling stations as possible. If the ECI failed to perform its duties under pressure by the Prime Minister, we shall move the Supreme Court seeking legal recourse”, state Congress vice president Pijush Kanti Biswas said.
Speaking on why Congress feels Prime Minister Modi interfered with Election Commission’s decision-making process on demand of repolls in Tripura, Biswas said Tripura is the only state in the country to have witnessed mass vitiation of Lok Sabha polls till now.
“If fresh elections or repolls were held in 800 out of 1679 polling stations of West Tripura seat, massive rigging held here would be exposed. There was also no action on any complaint filed against the PM. So, the Prime Minister is interfering”, he said. Biswas also said his party has got reports that repolls might be ordered in 200-250 polling stations, whereas the party filed specific complaints of polls irregularities in at least 850 polling booths.
After West Tripura Parliamentary constituency went to polls in the first phase of elections on April 11, all opposition political parties including Congress and CPI (M) alleged large-scale rigging and demanded repolls. The ECI later deferred polling in East Tripura (ST) seat from April 18 to April 23 in the wake of allegations of violence.
A Congress delegation of the party met Election Commission in New Delhi earlier this month and demanded repolls. Referring to the visit, state Congress vice president Pijush Kanti Biswas said he felt the ECI to be under pressure from ruling BJP.
Tripura Congress president Pradyut Kishore Debbarman earlier said he would move the Supreme Court of the ECI failed to redress grievances of polls irregularities.
Opposition Left Front in the state demanded fresh elections in entire West Tripura seat and said the poll process in the seat was ‘total farce’. The Left parties announced a series of mass demonstrations and protest rallies across all sub divisions in West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency on April 29, when the country goes to fourth phase of polls.
