AGARTALA, Dec 1 (TIWN): The CPI-M does not accept the verdict of the recent civic polls in Tripura as the elections to the 20 urban local bodies were conducted "fraudulently", hence the results of the polls were "not fair", former Chief Minister and the partys politburo member Manik Sarkar said on Tuesday.

Sarkar said that the ruling BJP along with the administrations turned the November 25 civic elections into a “farce”.  “As the elections were totally manipulated, there is no value as to who finished is first, second or third,” Sarkar told the media when asked about the performance of the Trinamool Congress.  He said that due to the unprecedented terrorisation of the opposition leaders and workers, including candidates, before the elections by BJP workers and goons, the environment was not at all conducive to conduct the elections freely and fairly.  “On the day of voting, BJP workers captured the polling stations, evicted the election agents belonging to the opposition parties and even attacked the candidates, including women nominees.

"As the elections were totally manipulated, there is no value as to who finished is first, second or third," Sarkar told the media when asked about the performance of the Trinamool Congress.  He said that due to the unprecedented terrorisation of the opposition leaders and workers, including candidates, before the elections by BJP workers and goons, the environment was not at all conducive to conduct the elections freely and fairly. On the day of voting, BJP workers captured the polling stations, evicted the election agents belonging to the opposition parties and even attacked the candidates, including women nominees.  "Along with the people, the CPI-M would face the challenge ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls," said Sarkar, who had served as the Chief Minister of the state from 1998-2018.