Tripura civic polls: CPI(M) says 5 hurt in Kamalpur, files in Dharmanagar

The first day of nominations for Tripura's urban local body elections ended with the CPI(M) alleging that five of its workers were injured in Kamalpur and that its candidates there could not file their papers, even as the party submitted nominations in most wards of the Dharmanagar Municipal Council.

Polling for 21 urban local bodies is scheduled for November 27, with counting on December 2. Filing of nominations began on Saturday, October 31.

Kamalpur: allegations of attack

According to the CPI(M), its candidates for Kamalpur Nagar Panchayat set out in a procession from the party office to the Returning Officer but were confronted near the bus terminal by a group carrying BJP flags and sticks, Tripura Chronicle reported. The newspaper said CRPF personnel stepped in to stop the group, but the candidates were unable to proceed. Party workers were later allegedly attacked along the bank of the Dhalai river.

CPI(M) Dhalai district secretary Anjan Das told reporters that those hurt included CITU sub-divisional secretary Debashish Das, and that three of the injured were in serious condition and referred from Kamalpur Sub-Divisional Hospital to the district hospital at Kulai. According to Tripura Chronicle, the party had fielded 11 candidates for Kamalpur.

Left Front convener Manik Dey raised the Kamalpur incident in a complaint to the State Election Commissioner, Ukhrul Times reported, along with allegations of blocked access to the Returning Officer in Mohanpur and an assault on a Congress representative in Jirania. He sought police escorts for opposition candidates and protection for their families. In 2021, BJP candidates won uncontested in Kamalpur, Jirania and Mohanpur.

The BJP and the police had not responded publicly to the specific allegations at the time of writing. The ruling party held a "Save Democracy" rally in Agartala on Saturday, where former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb accused the Congress and CPI(M) of trying to spread anarchy.

Dharmanagar: 19 of 25 wards on day one

In North Tripura, the CPI(M) filed nominations in 19 of the 25 wards of the Dharmanagar Municipal Council on Saturday, submitting papers to Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Returning Officer Debjani Chowdhury, Tripura Star News reported. The party says candidates for the remaining six wards will file in the coming days.

State secretariat member Amitabha Dutta, Kadamtala MLA Islam Uddin and Yubarajnagar MLA Shailendra Chandra Nath were among those present.

The Left Front has already asked for central forces at polling booths. NEInsider will update this story if the State Election Commission or police respond.