BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 5th February 2026 : Ahead of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar today rejected the BJP and Tipra Motha’s claims of sweeping all 28 council seats, saying such predictions would collapse if voters are able to cast their ballots freely.
Taking a dig at both parties, Sarkar said it was illogical for each to claim a clean sweep. “If both the BJP and Tipra Motha say they will win all 28 seats, then the council should have 56 seats. But the reality is there are only 28,” he said.
Referring to the 2019 ADC polls, the CPI(M) veteran alleged that the election process was disrupted by violence and intimidation. “That election was not conducted through voting. CPI(M) workers and candidates were attacked on a large scale. If we can reach the people this time and they are allowed to vote properly, their claim of winning all seats will be proven wrong,” Sarkar asserted.
He stressed that the final outcome of the election would depend on whether democratic rights are protected. “The result will depend entirely on whether people are permitted to vote freely,” he said.
Sarkar also appealed to voters to use their franchise to counter what he termed authoritarian tendencies. “If people want to free themselves from fascist-like behaviour, they must exercise their voting rights responsibly,” he added.
Commenting on the Union Budget, Sarkar criticised the BJP-led government, alleging it was designed to benefit big corporate houses. “This budget serves those who exploit and loot while misleading the poor and working class. There is no point expecting anything different from the BJP. Its real character is now fully exposed,” he said.
