Tripura Congress, Left To Boycott Oath Ceremony, Citing Post-Poll Violence

The opposition Congress and the CPM-led Left parties would boycott the swearing-in-ceremony for the second BJP government on Wednesday due to the "unprecedented reign of terror unleashed by the BJP supporters and goons".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, several Central leaders and Chief Ministers would attend the ceremony at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan.

A Left Front statement said former Chief Minister and CPM politburo member Manik Sarkar and secretaries of the CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc were invited by the state government to attend the swearing-in-ceremony, but the Front has decided to boycott the event due to unprecedented reign of terror "unleashed by the BJP supporters and goons" across the state since the announcement of the assembly election results on March 2.

The Congress will boycott the oath taking ceremony on similar grounds.

Tripura state Congress chief and former Minister Birajit Sinha said since the announcement of the assembly election results on March 2, over a thousand incidents of violence have taken place in Tripura.

Blaming the ruling BJP, the Congress leader said at least three persons were killed while over 200 people injured in the series of incidents of violence.

Many properties, including rubber gardens, shops, business establishments, vehicles and houses were burnt down during the violence, which still continued, Mr Sinha alleged.

The Tripura Congress chief threatened to launch a statewide agitation if the violence is not stopped immediately.