BJP panel faces crushing defeat in Tripura Bar Association election

The new platform of left and Congress supported lawyers - 'Save Constitution Forum'-won 12 posts including, the post of President, Secretary and Treasurer in 15 members’ executive committee of Tripura Bar Association. Both CPI (M) and Congress explained the defeat of BJP in the Bar as the beginning of the downfall of the ruling party.

The BJP-supported lawyer panel had won Tripura Bar Association elections last year after the BJP government came to power in 2018 but after a year it faced a crushing defeat. While only three members of the BJP-backed panel won in the executive committee, all other posts were won by the candidates of the forum with a comfortable margin.

The BJP's legal cell has claimed that the forum was an unholy alliance of CPI (M) and Congress which had dropped its ideological differences and joined hand to prevent nationalist force backed by BJP and said, “This will not last for long rather the result has given a clear message that the relation of CPI (M) and Congress is strengthened further and it is a warning for the ruling party, which will help the party in future.”

However, Congress chief also a renowned lawyer of the region--Pijush Kanti Biswas--denied the campaign of CPI (M)-Congress alliance against BJP and said that the 'Save Constitution Forum' is a common platform of lawyers who opposed any attempt of onslaught in the Constitution, cutting across any party affiliation. Even some hardcore BJP supporters also joined the forum and the BJP is trying to cook up story.

The Congress leader Subal Bhowmik however, alleged, “The entire legal fraternity is unhappy with the interference and influence of thr ruling formation in the judicial system. The last resort of the public was also destroyed by the BJP government. The people are putting behind the bar without any valid ground and criminals are roaming freely with the blessings of the ruling party. The people became helpless under BJP’s rule due to direct interference in the judiciary.”

Meanwhile, CPI (M) State Secretary Gautam Das stated that the Bar Association election was not held any party affiliation and symbol though BJP had been openly backed them under the leadership of Advocate General. In last 24 months, BJP has made the public life hail, the judiciary could not function independently, police force became a puppet of the ruling party, criminals were given free passage and administration was defanged, he added.

“The BJP, mainly its central leadership and Mr Deb, cheated the innocent people of Tripura with tall promises before 2018 elections, which misled a large number of voters including a section of leftists. They convinced the voters saying the same party government in state and centre will bring more development but in reality it proved opposite and instead vendetta politics got prominence and fragmented the whole society,” Das mentioned.   

He claimed that BJP has no further chance in any of the upcoming election to win because people understood the mistakes they had committed. In the upcoming ADC elections in the next three months and urban civic poll at the end of the year, the left would come to power and the process has already started with the Bar Association's election.