Central forces to be deployed for Tripura West re-polls

Agartala, May 7 (IANS) The Union Home Ministry has deployed 15 companies of paramilitary forces during re-polling to the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat where voting took place on April 11, a top police official said on Tuesday.

"On the advice of the Election Commission (EC), the Ministry has deployed 11 companies of the Border Security Force and four of the Central Reserve Police Force," the official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

However, the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti said that he was yet receive an official confirmation from the EC on the re-polls.

"I do not know when or in how many polling stations re-polling will be held. We have sent our reports and recommendations to the EC," the CEO told IANS.

Besides the Tripura West seat, the state has a second constituency -- Tripura East -- which went to the polls on April 23.

The opposition Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has been demanding the re-polls after they alleged large-scale rigging, booth capturing, intimidation and attacks by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Tripura Pradesh Congress Vice-President Pijush Kanti Biswas on Tuesday reiterated that if the EC did not hold the re-polls, the party would move the Supreme Court.

"We have learnt that BJP leaders in Delhi are influencing the EC to hold re-polls only in a few polling stations to ensure their victory," Biswas told the media.

The CPI-M leaders held several demonstrations in Agartala and also in New Delhi to highlight their demand.

The ruling BJP has however, dismissed the opposition parties' accusations and demanded the removal of CEO Taranikanti, accusing him of being a "conspirator".