The Opposition CPM on Wednesday said the upcoming Tripura Assembly elections were important in the larger context of national politics and sought the “cooperation and unity” of all secular forces to ensure the defeat of the ruling BJP in the interest of the state and the rule of law.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s observations at a media interaction in Agartala made it clear that the party was keen on mobilising anti-BJP votes and open to aligning with the Congress and the Tipra Motha, a regional party.

Yechury started by asserting that the CPM considered the Tripura elections to “be very crucial, not only for Tripura but for the sake of democracy and for the sake of the rule of law and the rule of the Constitution”.

“It is important in the context of the Northeast itself, and the developments that are taking place, and in the larger context of national politics. So this is a very important election,” he said while flaying the BJP-led Tripura government for “not” fulfilling the promises made five years ago and “polarising” the electorate.

The polls are likely to be held in February. In 2018, the BJP-IPFT alliance ended the CPM-led Left Front government’s 25-year rule in the state. Yechury addressed the media interaction with state CPM secretary Jitendra Chaudhury.

Yechury said: “Going by the experience of the last five years, not one of the promises has been fulfilled... but they are back to repeating their own efforts to try and sharpen communal polarisation. The home minister came here and declared the completion of the construction of the Ram temple by January 1, 2024, just before the general election... instead of answering the questions of what they promised and what they have fulfilled...”

Calling for the unity of secular forces, he added: “So if you want to restore the rule of law and the rule of the Constitution of India and democracy in Tripura, it is absolutely essential that the BJP must be defeated.”