To bolster the weakening situation of the Left in the northeastern state of Tripura ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the youth organisations of the Tripura unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held a rally in Agartala on Thursday. The rally, organised by the Democratic Youth Front of India and Tripura Youth Federation, the youth wing of Gana Mukti Parishad (CPM’s tribal wing), focused on demands for rights to education, employment opportunities, and building a social movement against drugs. Notable speakers at the rally included former Chief Minister and politburo member Manik Sarkar, state party secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, DYFI national general secretary Himagnaraj Bhattacharya, DYFI state committee secretary Nabarun Deb, and TYF general secretary Kumud Debbarma.
The Left's rally is significant as it coincides with a major political shift in the state due to Pradyot Debbarma’s TIPRA Motha joining the BJP-NDA government. This move has created a void in the state's hills, presenting a strategic opportunity for the GMP. In response, the Left leaders criticised Pradyot and his TIPRA Motha, while also targeting the BJP.
The youth rally, which also saw a substantial tribal presence, serves as a crucial morale boost for the Left as it endeavours to regain its foothold in the northeastern state. Emulating its West Bengal counterpart, the state unit of the party is prioritising youth engagement. However, a notable challenge for the party in the northeastern state is the absence of widely recognised youth leaders, just as Minakshi Mukherjee has emerged in West Bengal.
Despite nominating fresh faces in the last assembly polls, the party is yet to cultivate emerging youth leaders. To address this, the Left needs to create space for youth in its organisational structure, particularly within the state committee, where youth representation is currently minimal. Given the region's ethnic diversity, cultivating popular youth figures from both Bengali and tribal communities poses a formidable task for the party.
An indefinite shutdown called by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation continues in the eastern part of the northeastern state of Nagaland. The ENPO is advocating for the creation of a Frontier Nagaland Territory, comprising six eastern districts of the state, which are home to seven Naga tribes.
The protest stems from the Centre's failure to fulfil its promise of establishing an autonomous council named Frontier Nagaland Territory. The ENPO had threatened to boycott the last state assembly elections if their demand for a separate Eastern Nagaland was not addressed but withdrew the boycott following assurances from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. However, despite reports of the Centre agreeing to establish a Frontier Nagaland Territory, the proposal remains unrealized. Consequently, the ENPO has resumed protests and has called for a boycott of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. This has led to visible discontent, as evidenced by the burning of effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and BJP National President JP Nadda in Tuensang. It is imperative for the Centre to promptly engage in meaningful dialogue with organizations like ENPO to prevent the escalation of grievances.
Disintegration Of Opposition Bloc In Assam
The disintegration of the opposition bloc in Assam is evident as the Congress has announced candidates for 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, leaving the Dibrugarh seat for its ally Assam Jatiya Parishad. This decision has caused friction with the CPM, which had sought only the Barpeta seat. In response, the Left party has nominated its only sitting legislator, Manoranjan Talukdar, from the Barpeta seat, signalling its discontent with the Congress's decision. Although the CPM's influence has waned, it still retains sway in certain pockets of the state.
The United Opposition Forum, formed by the Congress to counter the BJP-led NDA in Assam, is facing internal challenges. The Aam Aadmi Party and TMC have independently declared candidates for several seats, indicating a lack of cohesion within the bloc. Despite attempts to resolve seat allocations, the UOF's unity is in jeopardy, as evidenced by AAP's withdrawal of its candidate from Guwahati and its demand for Congress to withdraw its candidates from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh. Moreover, the nomination of AJP president Luringjyoti Gogoi by the UOF for the Dibrugarh seat further exemplifies the bloc's instability.
The faction led by former chief minister Biplab Deb, who was deposed by the central leadership of BJP in 2022, is gaining prominence within the party. Following a reshuffle of the state committee last December, Biplab's loyalists secured positions, and he was subsequently named the candidate for the Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency, replacing current MP and Union Minister of State Pratima Bhoumik, indicating a power struggle within the party.
The BJP's decision not to nominate sitting MP Rebati Tripura, who has strained relations with Biplab, from the Tripura East constituency and instead field TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Debbarma’s elder sister Kriti Debbarma illustrates Biplab's growing influence. Reports suggest that Chief Minister Manik Saha's diminishing standing within the party indicates possible further changes akin to those in 2022.
The author is a political commentator.
[Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.]
Walking Bengal Unit's Path, Tripura CPM Tries To Woo Agartala's Youth To Boost Party's Prospects In Lok Sabha Polls
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16.03.2024
To bolster the weakening situation of the Left in the northeastern state of Tripura ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the youth organisations of the Tripura unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held a rally in Agartala on Thursday. The rally, organised by the Democratic Youth Front of India and Tripura Youth Federation, the youth wing of Gana Mukti Parishad (CPM’s tribal wing), focused on demands for rights to education, employment opportunities, and building a social movement against drugs. Notable speakers at the rally included former Chief Minister and politburo member Manik Sarkar, state party secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, DYFI national general secretary Himagnaraj Bhattacharya, DYFI state committee secretary Nabarun Deb, and TYF general secretary Kumud Debbarma.
The Left's rally is significant as it coincides with a major political shift in the state due to Pradyot Debbarma’s TIPRA Motha joining the BJP-NDA government. This move has created a void in the state's hills, presenting a strategic opportunity for the GMP. In response, the Left leaders criticised Pradyot and his TIPRA Motha, while also targeting the BJP.
The youth rally, which also saw a substantial tribal presence, serves as a crucial morale boost for the Left as it endeavours to regain its foothold in the northeastern state. Emulating its West Bengal counterpart, the state unit of the party is........
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