AGARTALA, Feb 26 — Barring some incidents in rural polling stations, the Tripura polls today were by and large peaceful. The poll began at 7 am and by 11 am in many of the urban seats polling recorded about 50 per cent. As many as 19,31,465 voters cast their votes upto 4 pm to select their representatives to the 60-member Assembly from 254 candidates belonging to 14 political parties and Independents.
Women voters keen to cast their votes before starting their house works were seen in long serpentine queues from early morning. The male voters, however, came with the sun rising above the head. Traditionally there was always high voting percentage in the State despite militants’ threat and if the present trend this year is taken into account then the vote cast may cross 80 per cent, said Apurba Debnath, a Congress worker at Dhaleswar area.
Meantime, reports reaching here from interior parts of the State said that in Asharambari constituency in Khowai (West Tripura), NLFT militants who were reported to be supporting the Congress ally Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura have captured seven booths and driven out the CPM workers. In Asharambari ST constituency Amiya Debbarma of INPT and CPM’s Sachindra Debbarma are contesting in a straight fight.
Ruling CPM sources said the party will also demand re-poll in seven booths in Takarjala and one booth in Mumbai — both ST constituencies where the NLFT militants were reported to have prevented the ruling party voters from casting their votes. The party may also demand repoll in one booth at Golghati seat. Reports of outlawed militants creating terror were also pouring in from Salema constituency in Dhalai.
In the meantime, in many urban and semi-urban seats the Opposition Congress alleged that the ruling party cadres had driven their voters out of booths. Maximum allegations were received from Khayerpur seat in Agartala where the aged electors including women and retired government officials were not allowed to vote by the CPM cadres.
“They jammed the booths and forcibly dragged us out,” alleged Ahalata Dey (60) showing her elector’s photo identity card. Retired accountant of higher education department Nanigopal Saha also made similar allegations. “There were about 100 voters supporting our candidate Mahila Congress president Laxmi Nag who could not cast their franchise,” said Jitendra Das, PCC general secretary. Nag is contesting against CPM heavyweight and Industry Minister of the outgoing ministry Pabitra Kar.
Allegations and counter allegations also poured in from South Tripura. In one polling station at urban Ramnagar seat the polling officer, identified as Uttam Chhetri, was arrested while he was allegedly asking the electors to cast their vote for Congress candidate Surajit Datta. There were unprecedented security arrangements in the State for the elections which were tainted with violence perpetrated by the banned militants or pitch fights between the two political rivals — Congress and CPM.