Tensions have surfaced again within the opposition camp in Tripura after the Congress criticised the CPIM for unilaterally announcing its candidate for the Dharmanagar by-election.

Congress MLA and former minister Sudip Roy Barman alleged that the move could ultimately help the BJP rather than strengthen the opposition challenge.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has nominated Amitabh Datta for the Dharmanagar Assembly constituency in North Tripura district. The seat became vacant following the death of Biswabandhu Sen in February.

Reacting to the decision, Roy Barman said the CPIM declared its candidate without consulting the Congress and questioned the party’s intent. He stated that the people of the state would decide whether the move was aimed at defeating the BJP or indirectly benefiting it.

Despite the disagreement, Roy Barman affirmed that the Indian National Congress would contest the by-election with the objective of winning the seat and preventing the BJP from gaining an advantage. He also appealed to the CPIM to reconsider its decision and withdraw its candidate if it genuinely wanted to unite the opposition against the ruling party.

Referring to earlier by-elections after the 2023 Tripura Legislative Assembly election, Roy Barman claimed that Congress had previously stepped aside in several constituencies to support the broader anti-BJP effort. He said that in constituencies such as Boxanagar, Dhanpur and Ramnagar, the CPIM contested while Congress refrained from fielding candidates to avoid splitting opposition votes.

According to him, the Congress expected a similar gesture from the CPIM in Dharmanagar. However, the CPIM’s decision to field its own candidate has raised doubts within Congress about the sincerity of the opposition alliance in challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.