Left Front splits after 30 years in Tripura

Agartala, Jan 25 : The Forward Bloc, a key constituent of the ruling alliance in Tripura, on Friday decided to quit the Left Front after being denied the preferred number of seats to contest in the upcoming Assembly election in the State by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

In 1978, the CPI-M, the Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) came together to form the Left Front in Tripura. Later, the Communist Party of India (CPI) also joined the Front.

"CPI-M is totally responsible for the split. The Forward Bloc has quit the alliance because of the dominating attitude of the CPI-M, which had virtually established one-party rule within the Front," Forward Bloc State Secretary Shyamal Roy said.

He said that the Left alliance in the State is no longer called the Left Front, as it now comprises only the CPI-M, the CPI and the RSP.

However, Khagen Das, a Member of Parliament and the Convener of the Left Front in Tripura, claimed that the Front has not been broken as the CPI-M, the CPI and the RSP continue to be part of the alliance and only the Forward Bloc had give up.

The Forward Bloc, which has no legislator in the outgoing Assembly, had demanded three seats to contest in the next month's polls. The CPI-M, however, had dismissed the demand and said only one seat would be given to the Forward Bloc.

Even after five-hour meeting, the CPI-M did not relent. CPI-M Spokesperson Gautam Das alleged that the Forward Bloc was being used by the Opposition to weaken and defame the Left Front ahead of the election.

The Forward Bloc has now decided to contest election from 15 out of the total 60 seats. Assembly election will be held in Tripura on February 23.

ANI