Agartala, Jan 29: Having failed to secure permission to hold a rally at two venues of its choice, the Tripura CPI(M) on Tuesday said it will be organised in front of Rabindra Bhavan here, a senior party leader said.
The rally has been planned to mark the beginning of the party’s 24th state conference, scheduled to be held from Wednesday, the senior leader said.
CPI(M) coordinator Prakash Karat, party’s politburo member Brinda Karat and senior party leaders are set to join the state conference, which is organised once in three years.
The main opposition party had a plan to organise a mega rally at the Swami Vivekananda ground to mark the beginning of the three-day state conference but the administration had denied permission.
Later, the CPI(M) wanted to shift the venue to the Umakanta Academy (school) ground. It was also denied on the grounds that a holiday cannot be declared in a school for holding a political programme.
“We had sought permission to organise the party’s rally at Swami Vivekananda ground and later Umakanta Academy ground but the government rejected our request,” CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury told reporters here.
“Now, we will organise our programme in front of Rabindra Bhavan having failed to get a suitable place,” Chaudhury, who is also the opposition leader, said.
The party has bagged permission to hold the rally at Rabindra Bhavan.
Chaudhury said the party wanted to avoid the place in front of Rabindra Bhavan as the venue falls in the heart of the city and the place is relatively small.
“Finding no other option, the party will hold the rally at the open area in front of Rabindra Bhavan. I urge the administration and police to ensure the rally ends without trouble,” he said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) was denied permission to hold rally at Umakanta Academy ground on political grounds, the veteran Marxist leader claimed the BJP had organised a programme, in presence of the party’s national president JP Nadda, at Umakanta Academy ground on January 12, 2023, by announcing a holiday in the school.
Chaudhury also claimed that the party’s flags, festoons and banners, which were put up for the party’s state conference, were damaged in different places of the city.
“It seems the ruling party which is claiming to make ‘Ek Tripura Srestha Tripura’, is scared of the CPI(M) state conference. We hope the administration and the police will play an impartial role during the party’s state conference,” he said. (PTI)
