The Tripura Left Front committee on Tuesday announced Jitendra
Chaudhury and Sankar Prasad Dutta as candidates for two Lok Sabha
constituencies in the state. Both candidates are sitting MPs from East
Tripura and West Tripura Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively.
Addressing a press conference at CPI (M) state headquarters here this
evening, Tripura Left Front convener Bijan Dhar said Dutta would
contest from West Tripura constituency on April 11 and Chaudhury would
contest from East Tripura constituency, which is reserved for ST
candidates, on April 18.
“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.
