Agartala, Sept 09: Following the announcement of the Tripura by-election results, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha characterized the by-election as a significant contest and victory of democracy as he viewed that the opposition CPI-M’s allegations were baseless.
The BJP secured victories in the Dhanpur and Boxanagar by-polls for the first time, excluding the general assembly elections held earlier this year. Notably, Union Minister of State for Social Empowerment and Justice, Pratima Bhoumik, had initially won the Dhanpur seat on a BJP ticket during the assembly elections but subsequently resigned to retain her central position.
In Boxanagar, where a significant portion of the population belongs to the minority community, the Chief Minister highlighted that voters had sent a resounding message. They expressed support for development under the “double engine government” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, rejecting what they saw as appeasement politics and divisive tactics that had previously fractured society along community lines for political gain, he said.
Dr. Manik Saha also lauded the large voter turnout during the by-elections, noting that both BJP candidates secured substantial vote margins over their CPI-M opponents. He argued that the results in Dhanpur and Boxanagar, where minority populations are prominent, signal the end of politics rooted in appeasement and division, favoring instead Prime Minister Modi’s agenda of development and inclusivity as encapsulated in “sabka sath, sabka vikas” (together with all, development for all).
Furthermore, he pointed out that the 2023 assembly elections demonstrated a peaceful and non-violent process, reflecting a shift away from the previous perception that elections in Tripura were associated with violence. Dr. Saha expressed his satisfaction that the idea of elections being peaceful had replaced the earlier notion that they were marred by violence. He extended his congratulations to the newly elected MLAs – Taffajal Hossain and Bindu Debnath.
Taffajal Hossain, the BJP candidate in Boxanagar, secured victory with 34,146 votes, boasting a substantial margin of 30,237 votes over his CPI-M opponent Mizan Hossain, who garnered only 3,909 votes. Meanwhile, Bindu Debnath, the BJP nominee in Dhanpur, clinched the constituency with 30,017 votes, prevailing by a margin of 18,871 votes over his CPI-M rival, Kaushik Chanda, who received 11,146 votes.
Taffajal Hossain, a 51-year-old Muslim leader, had previously contested the assembly polls on February 16th from the same predominantly Muslim Boxanagar constituency but faced defeat against CPI-M’s Samsul Haque. Sadly, Samsul Haque passed away on July 19, necessitating the by-elections.
The by-election for the Dhanpur seat was triggered by Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik’s resignation from the Assembly shortly after her election as a BJP nominee in the February’s Assembly elections. The bypolls, held on Tuesday, recorded an impressive voter turnout of 86.56%, with 93,495 eligible voters participating.
Subsequently, the BJP organized a triumphant rally from its party headquarters in Agartala, with the Chief Minister and the newly elected MLAs taking part in the celebrations.
Also read: Assam Govt urges Centre to completely withdraw AFSPA from State
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