AGARTALA:
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) committee secretary Jitendra Chowdhury filed a complaint against Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on May 28 accusing him of breaking the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) imposed ahead of the by-election.
Accusing Saha of organising meetings in two assembly constituencies – Jubarajnagar of North district and Surma of Dhalai district – on May 28, Chowdhury wrote to Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, Kiran Gitte apprising him about the “violation”.
“The tour programme also mentions that the chief minister will conduct the entire tour by helicopter and hold meeting with the district administration of North Tripura and Dhalai districts where Model Code of Conduct has been enforced following declaration of by-elections in two assembly constituencies in these Districts on May 26,” he wrote in the letter.
Specifying the violations, Chowdhury wrote that the Chief Minister has violated para (a) and (b) of rule 1 of section VII under caption “Party in Power” of Model Code of Conduct, where “combining official visit with electioneering works” by the ministers is prohibited, and use of any type of government transport for furtherance of the interest of the party in power is forbidden.
“The District Magistrate and collectors of both North Tripura and Dhalai Districts are now designated as district election officers. Without divulging any genuine purpose, meeting the Chief Minister with them creates a lot of confusion while MCC is enforced in the districts,” the letter read.
He said the CPI-M did not expect this violation of the MCC by the ruling party.
“I request you to take up the matter with the Chief Minister for his clarification and take proper steps against such violation of MCC,” he wrote in conclusion.