Tripura Congress boycotts Rajya Sabha poll in protest against BJP’s ‘atrocities’

Tripura Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman announced on Tuesday that the party has chosen to abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha election, citing what it describes as the BJP’s “tremendous atrocities” and undemocratic conduct. The Rajya Sabha election, held today, saw BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya secure a victory. However, the Congress, led by Roy Barman, a former BJP minister, took a stand by not participating in the voting process.

Speaking to the media, Roy Barman alleged that the BJP had engaged in widespread misconduct during the recent Panchayat elections. He accused the ruling party of preventing voters from exercising their rights, attacking candidates, and even being complicit in the murder of a CPIM worker.

“Our party has decided to abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha election due to the BJP’s actions in the Panchayat elections,” Roy Barman stated. “With 60 MLAs eligible to vote, including 10 from CPIM, 3 from Congress, and Tipra Motha now aligned with the BJP, there is no fair chance for a genuine election. The BJP has turned past elections into farcical exercises. In protest against these actions and to respect the democratic process, we three Congress MLAs have decided to abstain from voting.”