'Situation in Tripura not conducive for holding free and fair election'

GUWAHATI: BJP's in-charge for Tripura election and state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday told the Election Commission of India in New Delhi that the present situation in the Left Front-ruled Tripura is not conducive for holding free and fair election and asked for adequate corrective measures.
The state is likely to go to polls next month and BJP claims that the polls might not be free from violence. BJP is seeking to topple the Left that has been in power continuously since 1993 in the state and make its first government after its two successive debut victories in Assam in 2016 and in Manipur the next year.

Sarma said, "If there free and fair election, we will win Tripura but ensuring such an environment is not an easy process in Tripura and is a big challenge for EC. BJP is riding a huge wave in Tripura."

"For last one week CPI(M) has unleashed a reign of terror politics in Tripura and for this we met the EC today for a free and fair election," Sarma said after his meeting with EC.

Sarma said that he has suggested that the commission appoint micro-observers from outside the state and not from any trade union affiliated to the CPI(M). "We have also asked for maximum deployment of central forces," he said.

Sarma claimed that more than 60 party workers were killed by the ruling CPI(M) in Tripura and there was an atmosphere of fear and threat in the state.