Agartala, August 30 — The Congress party staged a massive rally in Agartala on Saturday, marching from the Press Club to the Secretariat in protest against what it termed “vote rigging” by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI). Branded the “Vote Chod Gaddi Chhodd” rally, the demonstration was marked by fiery speeches, sharp allegations, and calls to “save democracy.”
The rally was led by senior leaders, including AICC Incharge for Tripura, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, who accused the BJP of coming to power through electoral manipulation. “The people’s mandate can’t be stolen. We will not back down,” Ulaka told reporters. He alleged that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was formed by “looting” votes in 70–80 constituencies, adding that internal surveys of the INDIA Alliance pointed to its rightful victory.
Ulaka announced that after state-level agitations, the Congress would launch a nationwide signature campaign to collect 10 crore signatures, to be submitted to the President of India, demanding electoral reforms and accountability.
AICC Secretary Christopher Tilak echoed these concerns, accusing the BJP of systematically undermining democratic institutions, especially the Election Commission. “The basic right of citizens—the right to vote—is being snatched away,” Tilak said. Citing the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat, he alleged that one lakh fake voters in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment had tilted the result in BJP’s favour.
Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Asish Saha went further, claiming that the ECI was functioning under BJP’s directives and implementing a controversial “Systematic Influencing of Results” (SIR) mechanism. He praised Rahul Gandhi’s campaign to expose alleged voter list manipulations and commended Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for leading the fight. “This is not just a political battle—it’s a struggle to protect the very soul of our democracy,” Saha asserted, urging citizens to rise against the misuse of institutions.
The rally, however, was not without controversy. Congress leaders clashed with police over repeated shifting of their stage, initially set up near the Circuit House, where Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations organized by the BJP were underway. After objections, police relocated the stage multiple times, sparking heated verbal exchanges.
Congress leaders accused the police of acting under BJP’s influence. But West Tripura Superintendent of Police Namit Pathak clarified that the party had not obtained prior permission. “We anticipated law and order issues, so we asked them to shift the venue,” Pathak said.
