AGARTALA: Veteran CPI-M leader and former chief minister of Tripura โ€“ Manik Sarkar โ€“ has called for โ€œunity against the BJPโ€.

This clarion call from the veteran CPI-M leader comes ahead of the Tripura assembly election slated to be held next year.

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Manik Sarkar has accused the ruling BJP in Tripura of setting a wrong precedence of โ€œlooting votesโ€ during the by-polls held recently in the state.

Tripura CPI-M Manik Sarkar said: โ€œThe BJP won votes by resorting to terror tactics and throttling the voice of democracy.โ€

โ€œThe BJP is slaughtering democracy in Tripura,โ€ the former Tripura chief minister added.

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He said that a major section of people in Tripura exercised their franchise defying the โ€œterror tactics applied by the BJPโ€.

โ€œWhen BJP realized that people of Tripura are getting detached from the government and the party, they changed the chief minister,โ€ Manik Sarkar said.

He further accused Tripura chief minister Manik Saha of winning the by-polls from Town Bordowali constituency by โ€œmassive poll riggingโ€.

โ€œIf BJP retains power in Tripura, the state will be ruined and its economy and culture would not be able to fight back,โ€ Sarkar said.