Tripura CPM not to abide by party guidelines

From a correspondent

Agartala, Aug 24:  With the BJP posing a grave challenge, the ruling CPI (M) has decided not to follow the standing guideline of the party, imposing restrictions on nomiting candidates after completing third term in a row.

The state secretary of the CPI (M), Bijon Dhar admitted that there is a guideline in the party regarding nomition of candidates that imposed a limit, but it is a guideline and is not mandatory.

“If we are to follow this guideline our Chief Minister will not be able to contest the election,” he said, adding that the party has guideline in every stage, but it is followed only in Rajya Sabha.

Tripura is going to face the first assembly election after the stormy Central Committee meeting and the state committee is in a dilemma, as following the guideline will mean denial of nomition to at least two third of the existing MLA’s. Out of twelve ministers nine including the Chief Minister will not be able to contest the election.

Though the guideline was framed long ago to keep party members away from getting too much involved in parliamentary tendencies and to prevent them from developing any vested interest in the party, but the guidelines were never followed.

The issue recently surfaced during the controversy over nomiting Sitaram Yeachury for the third time in Rajya Sabha violating the guideline.

During the debate in the Central Committee some of his followers questioned that if he is to be denied due to party guideline then the guideline should be followed in other elections like Lok Sabha and Assembly.