People voted for restoration of peace, democracy in Tripura: CPI(M) leader

Noting that the 90 per cent turnout in the recently held Tripura assembly polls was ”unprecedented”, the CPI(M) on Tuesday said people came out of their homes in large numbers to vote for the ”restoration of peace and democracy” in the state.

Electors, ”defying threats”, queued up outside polling booths since 4 am, three hours before the process began on February 16, as they did not want to miss out on this opportunity ”after being disallowed from participating in any voting exercise over the past five years – be it municipal elections or bypolls”, claimed CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury.”Some of the voters waited in queues till 11 pm and beyond, disregarding all threats, intimidations and bombing. This is something unprecedented in the northeastern state or for that matter any state in the country.”People, this time, voted for the restoration of peace and democracy,” Chaudhury told a press conference.

Taking a dig at the BJP for asserting that it would win 55 of the 60 seats in the elections, Chaudhury said the saffron party’s strength will be reduced to single digits in the House.Drawing attention of the Election Commission to allegations of trouble caused by miscreants in two strong rooms — Santirbazar in South Tripura district and Teliamura in Khowai – he said the ”mischief-makers who tried terrorising the security personnel there should have been arrested”.

Two separate groups of miscreants had on Monday night tried creating a ruckus near the strong rooms, Chief Electoral Officer Gitte Kirankumar had said, adding that they were driven away in no time.”The Election Commission is leaving no stone unturned to ensure zero violence during polls. Security forces will remain alert to thwart any untoward incident,” Kirankumar said.