BJP central team to submit report on Tripura to PM

A BJP central team Tuesday said it would submit to the prime minister its report on the situation in Tripura following attacks on party supporters by cadres of the ruling CPI-M, and seek suitable action.

The three-member team, led by Bharatiya Janata Party's national vice president s.S. Ahluwalia, visited Tripura Monday-Tuesday and asked the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) to stop the "terror and attacks" on opposition party supporters.

Ahluwalia, accompanied by parliamentarians Tarun Vijay and Satyanarayan Jatia, said the team would submit the copies of its report also to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and party president Amit Shah for appropriate action.

The team visited some rural areas of Tripura Monday where clashes took place after the July 15 panchayat polls, and warned CPI-M that the opposition party supporters would not remain silent or mute spectators.

A CPI-M leader, however, rejected the BJP's allegation of attacks by the CPI-M cadre, saying it was not only false but also "imaginary".

Ahluwalia said that after returning to New Delhi, the team would submit reports to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah, explaining the Tripura situation and asking them to take appropriate steps.

"After the panchayat elections, CPI-M supporters unleashed a reign of terror and attacked opposition party supporters in various parts of the state," Ahluwalia told reporters Tuesday before leaving for New Delhi.

"The CPI-M cadres did not even spare physically challenged people. For supporting the BJP, poor tea stall or vegetable vendors were attacked, power and water supply of BJP supporters' families are being disconnected, and ponds are being polluted with bad intention," he said.

Ahluwalia, who is in charge of the party affairs in the northeast, said: "Since people's support is increasing for the BJP in Tripura, the CPI-M is getting scared. This is the reason why they started attacking people supporting the BJP. This will further increase our support base."

"Their (CPI-M) days are numbered in Tripura and thus they are very scared," he said.

Ahluwalia said that in the panchayat polls, the elderly, youths and even the minority Muslim community came out to support the BJP in large numbers.

"The Muslims, whom they (Left Front) consider their vote bank, are not only supporting the BJP but are also contesting elections as our candidates. This is the reason for the Left parties to be scared."

CPI-M leader Gautam Das rubbished the BJP allegations.

"Democracy in Tripura is more open and transparent for all, especially for those who support opposition parties. That's why in every election, 85-93 percent voters cast their votes and majority of them go in favour of the Left parties," Das told reporters.

"There is no value and truth in the allegations by the BJP leaders. Majority in Tripura support the CPI-M and the Left parties. The CPI-M never believes or supports any kind of vindictiveness."

In a significant political development, the BJP - for the first time - secured majority in five gram panchayats and won 141 seats in the local bodies' elections.