Tripura CPIM demands action against BJP's alleged "death threats" in Panchayat polls

Tripura's opposition CPIM has accused BJP workers of issuing violent threats ahead of local elections, calling for immediate intervention from state authorities.

In a strongly worded letter to State Election Commissioner Saradindu Chowdhury, on June 30, CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury alleged that BJP supporters warned of lethal consequences for opposition candidates.

Chaudhury wrote, detailing an incident on June 29 in North Tripura, that BJP followers openly threatened with microphones that anybody who dreams of contesting in the ensuing Panchayat election either from CPI(M) or Congress ticket shall be "throttled to death".

The CPIM leader expressed shock at the apparent lack of response from local authorities. "It is unimaginable that in a democratic country such type of open threat against democracy could be perpetrated without any preventive action either from police or from any authority in Administration," he stated.

Chaudhury called on the SEC to take decisive action, arguing that the threats represent "an open challenge to your independent authority as State Election Commissioner."

The opposition party demanded immediate arrests and legal action against those involved, including BJP leader Subrata Rudrapaul, who allegedly led the convoy making threats.

"Being a ruling party, BJP should have discharged greater responsibility to let the election be conducted in a most free and fair manner," Chaudhury added. "Instead, it seems that they stand as a stumbling block against democracy to roll on in the state."