Poll debacle in WB, Kerala not to affect Tripura: Karat

The poll debacle in Kerala and West Bengal would not have any effect in Tripura, where assembly election would be held in late this year or early next, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said in Agartala today. “The poll debacle in West Bengal and Kerala will not have any negative impact in Tripura. It was evident from the last Lok Sabha and local body elections where the party did very well,” Karat said while addressing the 20th state party conference in the state capital today. The ruling CPI(M) lost the assembly election last year in West Bengal after a 34-year rule and also in Kerala. However, the result was just the opposite in case of Tripura. [caption id=“attachment_198150” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“PTI”]  [/caption] CPI(M) had swept the Lok Sabha polls in Tripura in 2009 winning both the seats with decent margins, besides winning the civic polls in a big way. The CPI(M) led Left Front captured 13 of the 15 nagar panchayats, ousted Congress in five of them and also retained hold over Agartala Municipal Council in 2010. The Left Front also won all 27 seats that were up for election for Tribal Area Autonomous District Council in 2010. “The party would take inspiration from the performance and success of the Left Front government in Tripura and must take lessons from the mistakes and weaknesses of the party in West Bengal”, Karat said. Many negative trends came up during the 34 years of remaining in power and the distance between the party and people had widened as a result of which it lost panchayat, Lok Sabha, civic and assembly polls in that state, he said. He also underlined the need for expansion of party organisation beyond the territory of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura for an effective democratic and parliamentary struggle against liberalism. PTI