Tripura Congress Dismisses Speculation of Sacrificing Seats For CPI(M)

Kolkata: The Congress working president in Tripura and the sole heir of the 800-year-old Manikya dynasty, Maharaja Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman dismissed media reports which claimed that the party will not contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to facilitate a CPI (M) win over the BJP.

Speaking to News18.com, Pradyot Deb Barman, said, “There are media reports but this is not true. We are not having any kind of alliance and seat adjustment with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Tripura.”

“I would also like to clarify that the Congress is fielding its own candidates in both the seats (Tripura East and Tripura West) and there is no question of giving up. CPI (M) is nowhere in Tripura. They don’t have their support base anymore,” he said.

The party leader further remarked on the speculations that the party had chosen to sacrifice seats on the Left leaders’ request saying, “There is no question of paving way for anyone. BJP is exposed and the CPI (M) is finished in Tripura and people knows it very well.”

Tripura CM Manik Sarkar also confirmed that the CPI(M) hadn’t firmed an alliance of any kind with the Congress. “There is no question of leaving space for anyone. We don’t have any seat sharing understanding with the Congress in Tripura. All I would like to confirm is that we are contesting from both the seats. As far as Congress party is concern, I will not be able to comment on them.”

“There are some seat sharing arrangements in West Bengal with Congress but in Tripura we are fielding our candidates in both the Lok Sabha seats,” he added.

Presently, both the Tripura East and Tripura West are represented by CPI (M)’s Jitendra Choudhury and Sankar Prasad Datta respectively.

“This time state party unit has decided to field sitting MPs from Tripura East and Tripura West. There will be no change in the candidate,” a senior CPI (M) leader in Tripura said

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) - ruling BJP’s ally in Tripura - is also likely to go alone in the Lok Sabha polls.

On March 3, IPFT in their central committee meeting has decided to field candidates in both the Lok Sabha seats in Tripura.