Tripura bye-elections: Jiten writes to CEO; Complains against Pratima, Ratan for ‘influencing’ voters
The CPI-M state secretary Jitendra Choudhury on Tuesday accused the Union Minister of State for SJ&E Pratima Bhoumik and minister Ratan Lal Nath of influencing the voters of Dhanpur assembly constituency ahead of the bye-elections, scheduled to be held on September 5 next.
In his letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State Election Commission Puneet Agarwal, Choudhury said, “On 20th August last, while campaigning for the BJP candidates at Bashpukur under 23-Dharnpur Constituency, Union Minister of State Smt. Pratima Bhowmik and state Minister for Agriculture Sri Ratan Lal Nath assured the traders of Bashpukur market that a three-storied market building would be constructed in this market. Both of them also asked the traders to suggest site of the market building and assured them that the government engineers would visit the place on 23rd August to make a plan and estimate for the building.”
“It is not fact that, neither of these BJP leaders are novice and ignorant of election rule. While MCC is in force, they have wilfully made such promises to influence the electors in favour of BJP candidate in contravention to the MCC,” the letter reads.
He stated, “As they have become so desperate to violate MCC by virtue of being central and state ministers, I request you, for the fairness of election, kindly to order forbidding their movement in the election-bound areas in both the constituencies and take appropriate measures against the violators.”
