Northeast Desk, 4th September: The Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPIM) and the Congress party are clashing over the recently concluded Rajya Sabha election in Tripura, deepening the rift between the two former allies. The two parties, which had previously allied for the 2023 Tripura Legislative Assembly elections, are now pointing fingers at each other for their roles in the Rajya Sabha contest held on September 3.
The Congress had announced its decision to abstain from voting in the election, accusing the CPIM of failing to consult or involve them in discussions regarding the election or the selection of a candidate. The CPIM had fielded its ex-MLA Sudhan Das for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Tripura, but the election was won by BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya.
Sudip Roy Barman, a Congress MLA and former minister, criticized the CPIM’s lack of communication, saying, “They make decisions, and we are expected to execute them. This will not happen.” He accused the CPIM of aiding the BJP in forming the government in Tripura and suggested that the Congress would no longer align with the CPIM in future elections.
In response, CPIM State Committee Secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury criticized the Congress for making independent decisions without considering the broader goal of uniting against the BJP. He expressed disappointment that Congress did not join forces with other secular parties to “save our Constitution” and fight against what he described as the BJP’s “anti-constitutional measures.”
This discord between the CPIM and Congress signals a growing divide between the two parties, which could have implications for their future political strategies in Tripura and beyond.