Uncertainty over Reang refugee votes despite visit by Mizo officials

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: Uncertainty prevails over casting of vote by over 11,000 voters residing in the six Reang refugee camps in North Tripura district though the administrative preparations are going on to set up polling booths at Kanmoon in Mizoram bordering Tripura.

A five-member team of Mizo officials led by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Krishna Mohon Uppo visited Kanchanpur on Sunday and had detailed discussion with local officials including District Magistrate Rebel Kumar, Additional District Magistrate Nagendra Debbarma, SP Bhanupada Chakraborty and SDM Abhedananda Baidya. It is learnt that the meeting discussed about various logistic matters for the facilitating the camp inmates to cast their vote including providing transport facilities from the camp to Kanmoon.

While the administration is preparing the logistics, the Reang refugees seem to be divided over casting of votes at Kanmoon as a section is demanding setting up of booth in the camps itself. The faction led by Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples’ Coordination Committee even threatened to boycott the election. On the other hand, two leaders of the Mizoram Bru Peoples’ Forum Suivonga and R Donga attended the meeting and discussed about the logistic support that may be provided by the administration including sufficient vehicles.

It may be recalled that the same arrangement was made during last Assembly election when a moderate 56 per cent of the Reang voters had cast their votes despite resistance from some of the leaders.

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