Tripura Election 2023: CM Manik Saha Slams 'Unholy' Alliance of Left-Congress, Accuses Them of Spreading Culture of Violence

Voting is underway in Tripura for the 60-member assembly and over 28 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha today cast his vote at Maharani Tulsibati Girls' School polling booth in Agartala. Talking to Zee News, Saha accused the CPIM-Congress of spreading the culture of violence and termed it as his biggest challenge. Saha is contesting the polls from the Town Bardowali Assembly constituency. He claimed that the BJP will perform better than what it did in the previous election.

"People of Tripura are very much politically conscious. This is because the CPIM's 25-year rule of hooliganism was dismissed by the people in 2018. The change of power democratically in 2018 was historic. They (Congress and CPIM) know that defeating BJP democratically is not possible thus they joined hands to form an unholy alliance. People know that peace and development will come to the state only if they vote for the BJP," said Saha.

The Chief Minister further said that the hooliganism being carried out by the opposition parties is the biggest challenge and violence is the culture of the Left and Congress. 

"Be it Tipra Motha, Congress or CPIM, they all believe in hooliganism," said Saha.

The BJP leader exuded confidence that the BJP will get more seats compared to the 2018 assembly polls. He brushed aside the possibility of any post-poll alliance saying that the BJP will get a comfortable majority on its own. 

Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 4 pm. Altogether 28.13 lakh voters are scheduled to exercise their franchise during the day in 3,337 polling stations of the northeastern state to determine the fate of 259 candidates.

No untoward incident or EVM technical snag was reported from any part of the state in the first hour. Of the 3,337 polling stations, 1,100 booths have been identified as sensitive and 28 as critical.