Agartala, Jan 16, 2023, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala Jan 16: Raising questions over the tall claims of transparency in conduct of ensuing assembly elections, CPI-M state secretary Jiten Choudhury on Monday wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer, Tripura demanding immediate inquiry of a ‘Secret meeting of BJP Minister Pranajit Singha Roy with Election officials”.

Citing a news article of state’s Bengali local daily, CPI-M state secretary Jiten Choudhury in his letter wrote, “A news cutting of ‘Syandan Patrika’ of Agartala dated 15th January 2023, reports that, on 14th January, Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, along with Abhishek Debroy, Gomati District President of BJP called some designated election officials in a secret meeting at ‘Bhubaneswari’ room of Udaipur Circuit House. Prior to this meeting, as desired by the Minister, all other boarders of the Circuit house were asked to vacate the room and from noon on 14th January, the circuit house was practically barred for entry of any other persons except the persons selected to join this meeting. Pranajit Sinha Roy, Minister skipped his scheduled programme of opening ceremony of ‘Tirthamukh Mela’ on the same day to hold this secret meeting. After the meeting the Minister as yet did not make it public, for what purpose he arranged this meeting and why did he need such secrecy about it”.

Choudhury further mentioned, “When the state is slated to go for polls in barely few days and the ECI will be declaring the dates soon, no minister can conduct such secret meeting with designated election officials”.

He added, “The secret meeting has created a lot of confusion among the common people about the transparency in conduct of polls”.

Notably, Political violence has increased in the state in the last few days amid Election Commission's Mission Zero Poll Violence slogan.

In this situation, there is growing doubt among the people about the extent to which the election commission's promise of peaceful election will be implemented.

The CPIM state secretary demanded an immediate inquiry of the allegation against Minister Pranajit Singha Roy and take necessary correcting measures at the earliest.