"Election Commission failed to ensure level playing field in Tripura": State Congress chief alleges

Voting for the two seats in Tripura was concluded on April 19 and April 26 respectively in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections.

Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee President Asish Kumar Saha has alleged that "the Election Commission failed to ensure a level playing" during elections in two Lok Sabha seats of the state. Voting for the two seats in Tripura was concluded on April 19 and April 26 respectively in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections.

Saha is the INDIA bloc candidate against BJP heavyweight and former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb from the West Tripura parliamentary constituency. On being asked about the concerns flagged by the opposition after the polls ended in both seats, the state Congress chief said, "We have raised our voice against the lapses that we have encountered on the day of polls. We even met the full bench of the Election Commission of India and made them aware of the ground situation. The EC gave us a patient hearing. We have categorically told them that the Election Commission failed to ensure a level playing field for the political parties contesting the polls here in Tripura."

The Congress leader was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a party's extended meeting of the Gomati District committee. The Block Committee leaders from all the assembly constituencies attended the meeting which was primarily convened to discuss the organisational issues and the party's future course of action.

"The state affairs in Tripura draws a very dark picture of the future. The law and order situation is on a downslide. We have seen how conflict and rivalry between influential groups gave rise to the use of firearms and crime. Recently, we have witnessed a couple of incidents where internal differences surrounding negotiations of deals turned out to be fatal. Similarly, the crisis of petrol and other essentials has been dealing a major blow to the lives of the common masses. This must stop. The Congress has decided to raise all these issues in an organized way through democratic protests across the state," Saha told media persons. (ANI)

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