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Centre to blame for Tripura’s lack of development: Manik Sarkar

Campaigning for Assembly elections ends amid stray incidents of violence

— Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

CPI(M) supporters at an election rally at a tea garden in West Tripura district on Thursday.

Agartala: Stung by attacks from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the performance of Tripura’s Left Front government, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Thursday hit back accusing the Centre of being responsible for the poor pace of development in the State.

The Union government did not pay proper attention to build infrastructure such as roads and railways and power generation. On the other hand, the State government with its limited resources carried out development works, Mr. Sarkar told a press meet at the Agartala Press Club.

Mr. Sarkar, who also holds charge of the Home Department, reiterated his allegation that the Congress’ ally, the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura, was a front of an underground separatist organisation.

He alleged that people were being warned not to vote for Left Front candidates.

Mr. Sarkar said the people of Tripura would bring the Left Front back to power in the February 23 Assembly elections.

Third alternative

Meanwhile, Mr. Sarkar, also a Polit Bureau member, was quoted as telling the party’s mouthpiece ‘Ganashakti’ in Kolkata that the CPI(M) was working towards a third alternative as the Lok Sabha elections could be held anytime. The third alternative would have policies distinct from the Congress and the BJP. “We are planning to set up a platform for all Left, secular and anti-imperialist forces.”

Accusing the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre of serving the interests of the rich, Mr. Sarkar claimed that the consistent stand of the Left parties against communalism and pro-people economic policies were making the people look for an alternative, as neither the Congress nor the BJP would be able to deliver the goods. He refuted the charge that law and order had collapsed in Tripura.

40 persons injured

Campaigning for the polls came to an end on Thursday amidst reports of stray incidents of violence.

Forty activists of the ruling CPI(M) were injured, 22 of them seriously, when they were attacked by unidentified persons at Ampura in West Tripura district, police said on Thursday.

Mr. Sarkar accused activists of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) of carrying out the attack to create a fear psychosis.

The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Front is locked in a direct fight with the Congress in the State where 313 candidates, including 28 women, are in fray for the elections to 60 seats.

The CPI(M) alone has put up 56 candidates and its allies the RSP and the CPI would contest two seats each.

The Congress will contest 47 seats while its allies INPT and PDS would contest 11 and two seats respectively.

Two hundred companies of additional Central paramilitary forces have arrived for the peaceful conduct of polls.

Tripura State Rifles and State paramilitary force were deployed in remote and vulnerable areas, the police said. — PTI

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