Tripura CPI M

Agartala, Feb 03: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) on Friday unveiled its manifesto for the assembly polls, promising “no revenge” against its political rivals in Tripura, if it comes to power in the state, and promised restoration of the old pension scheme and re-employment of 10,000 teachers.

Releasing the Left Front’s poll manifesto for the February 16 assembly elections at the CPI(M) headquarters in Agartala, state party secretary Jitendra Chaudhary stated that “We don’t believe in badla (revenge). We believe in bodol (change). We shall work for peace and long-term brotherhood. We will live with differences, there will be no room for violence.”

The 15-page manifesto promises to provide 2.5 lakh new jobs, hike in farmers’ wages, stringent law to deal with crimes against women, ensure media’s freedom, re-employment to the 10,323 teachers in government sectors, payment of dearness allowance to the government employees twice a year, reintroduction of the old pension system and more autonomy to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

Also Read: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha holds a door-to-door campaign in Agartala

The party also assured setting up professional coaching centres for banking, IAS, and IPS exams and making army recruitment training centres operational in the state.

“We need to run the government based on resources and that’s why we have prepared our manifesto in this way. Our manifesto is not like the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)’s jumla Vision Document. Among other promises, we shall also take steps to punish criminals who have launched attacks on media,” said Chaudhury.

Left Front convener Narayan Kar stated that the democratic rights of people, law and order, and religious practices of different communities are under threat since the BJP came to power five years ago.

He also termed the BJP’s Vision Document unveiled before the 2018 polls, as a ‘jumla’. He claimed that no recruitment of unemployed persons was done except for a few inductions in contractual and temporary posts.

“We have urged people to form an alternative government in this polls for a better situation. We are contesting the polls with sharing seats with the Congress and are confident to defeat the BJP,” said Kar.

He assured that all elected bodies would function properly with decentralization of power, zero tolerance to crime, amendment of Constitution to provide maximum economic and political autonomy to the TTAADC, to increase provisions of reservation for OBC, religious minorities, etc. if Left Front is voted to power.

“Discussions with the Congress regarding Common Minimum Programme are going on. We shall announce it together in a few days,” he said.

The Left fielded 47 candidates with 43 for the CPI(M), one each for the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI), and an independent candidate. The rest 13 seats were shared with Congress.

The results of the Assembly polls would be declared on March 2.