Agartala, 6th September 2026 : Former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has alleged that workers of the BJP, IPFT and Tipra Motha are intimidating prospective CPI(M) candidates ahead of the upcoming Village Committee elections, with several candidates reportedly being forced to reconsider their decision to contest.
With only two days remaining for the submission of nomination papers, Sarkar claimed that workers of the three parties were visiting the residences of CPI(M)-backed candidates and allegedly pressuring them to withdraw from the electoral race.
According to Sarkar, some candidates were allegedly threatened with having their houses set on fire or being evicted if they went ahead with filing their nominations. He claimed that a number of candidates who had initially agreed to contest were subsequently compelled to withdraw following the alleged threats.“In this situation, finding new candidates has become an important task,” Sarkar said, calling upon party workers to intensify efforts to identify and field candidates in the Village Committee elections.
Meanwhile, Sarkar also voiced concerns over the welfare and rights of persons with disabilities while speaking at a conference attended by former West Bengal minister Kanti Ganguly and other leaders of the organisation.
Sarkar claimed that during the Left Front government’s tenure, disability allowances were extended to more than 60 percent of eligible persons without discrimination between Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiaries.He alleged that after the present government assumed office, disability allowances for APL beneficiaries were discontinued, while payments to BPL beneficiaries were not being made regularly.
Sarkar further alleged that several facilities and concessions previously available to persons with disabilities had also been withdrawn. He accused the government of failing to adequately address the concerns and demands of the community.Despite the Left Front being in opposition, Sarkar said the movement for protecting the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities must continue.He called for a sustained campaign to press for the demands raised at the conference and stressed the need for a clear roadmap to ensure their effective implementation.
