Agartala: Charred remains of party offices, shattered windows and political workers nursing injuries have become disturbingly common in Tripura this November. What should be a vibrant democracy, where ideas compete, has transformed into a battleground where violence speaks louder than votes.

In just the past two weeks, opposition parties claim to have documented more than fifteen major attacks on their offices and workers across four districts of Tripura, painting a grim picture of a state where political rivalry has crossed all democratic boundaries.

The violence is not restricted to any single fault line but spans multiple fronts, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) facing accusations from opposition parties CPI(M) and Congress, while simultaneously clashing with its own coalition partner, TIPRA Motha.

Police just stood by: Tripura LoP Jitendra Chaudhury

The latest flashpoint came on the afternoon on Wednesday, November 26, when fifteen or twenty CPI(M) leaders and supporters were holding a rally under the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) banner, at Dharmanagar town in North Tripura district, as part of a nationwide programme. CPI(M) sources alleged that BJP workers carrying party flags brutally attacked the peaceful gathering, leaving four people injured, including the party's North Tripura district committee secretary and a former legislator, Amitabha Datta.

Dharmanagar Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Jayanta Karmakar confirmed the incident, stating that the injured activists were taken to North Tripura District Hospital in Dharmanagar and their condition was stable. He added that no case had been lodged so far, though security in the area had been intensified to prevent escalation.

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The attack drew sharp condemnation from CPI(M) politburo member and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury, who addressed the media on Wednesday evening. "Our state's Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha speaks eloquently every day about good governance in this state, but when it comes to all matters, there is a new trend of him shifting his failures onto the opposition, particularly on the CPI(M)," Chaudhury said.

Describing the attack, he alleged, "Right in front of the police station, before hundreds of people, when activists from an opposition political party wing came out to participate in a nationwide programme, BJP workers, carrying their party flags, attacked them."

The opposition leader accused the police of complicity through inaction. "The police did not even have a lathi in their hands. This was not a sudden or unexpected incident. Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha is attempting to establish a fascist rule, and he is using the administration so that the elements of his party attack the opposition like this while they make a token gesture just to save face," Chaudhury stated.

He reported that the violence extended beyond his party. "This incident occurred right next to where there is a Congress party office. Congress supporters were also sitting in front of this office, and they were also attacked. Their party office was also vandalised," Chaudhury said, demanding that police identify those involved and punish officers whose negligence allowed the attack to happen.

Congress office torched on Constitution Day eve

The attack on the Congress office in Dharmanagar occurred on November 25, when party workers were preparing materials for Constitution Day celebrations. Tripura Pradesh Congress Party president Asish Kumar Saha held a press conference at Pradesh Congress Bhavan here in Agartala on Wednesday to detail the incident.

"Yesterday at our Dharmanagar district office, workers were preparing publicity materials for Constitution Day. On that night, BJP party workers went to the district office and attacked it. They destroyed the publicity materials, broke the party flags and festoons and set them on fire. The fire damaged the main entrance door of our district office. And they broke windows and attempted to set fires inside," Saha said.

Saha drew a connection between the attack and the ruling party's ideology. "Although now, being in power, they are announcing the celebration of Constitution Day, in reality, they do not respect this constitution. The rights given in the constitution, especially to Adivasis, Dalits, minorities, backward communities, the poor, peasants and workers – they want to snatch away these rights," Saha stated.

He also reported that one Congress worker, Pramesh Malakar from the Scheduled Caste department, was beaten during the attack and had to be hospitalised for injuries.

After BJP's Bihar win, CPI(M) offices torched, death threats

The November attacks followed a pattern. On November 14, immediately after the Bihar assembly election results declared a landslide victory for the National Democratic Alliance led by BJP, multiple CPI(M) offices across three districts in Tripura were attacked in what appeared to be coordinated violence.

In North Tripura district's Bagbassa Assembly Constituency, the CPI(M) sector office at Kalacherra was vandalised during a BJP victory rally. Amitabha Datta stated at the time that a victory rally was organised under the leadership of Bagbassa MLA Jadab Lal Nath and local workers along with outsiders vandalised the office, destroying tables, chairs and official documents.

In Dhalai district under Kamalpur Sub-division, two CPI(M) offices at Halahali and Manik Bhandar became targets of arson on November 14. A local party leader recounted receiving a phone call around 11:30 PM, informing that the Halahali party office had been set ablaze, with around 200 chairs, tables and other valuables looted.

The leader expressed concern about the recklessness of the attack, noting that residential houses were located nearby and the fire could have spread to the entire Halahali market, indicating that attackers were willing to destroy the entire area in their attempt to target the CPI(M).

Former Surma Assembly Constituency MLA and CPI(M) Dhalai district secretary Anjan Das led a protest rally at Kamalpur on November 15. "As soon as the Bihar election results were declared, the ruling party created a heated atmosphere by bursting firecrackers, targeting our party supporters, instilling fear, issuing threats and even forcefully collecting money from local traders and CPI(M) supporters. Later at night, they began terrorising people by vandalising party offices," Das said during the rally.

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He detailed additional attacks, mentioning that a tailor, Manik Lal Deb's, small establishment was attacked and vandalised, while the Halahali and Manik Bhandar CPI(M) offices were set on fire using petrol at night, with many items looted.

Similarly, in South Tripura district, one scooter was completely destroyed in the Manu Bazar area under Sabroom, while another property belonging to CPI(M) supporter Sukanta Poddar was vandalised at Nulua Bazar in Belonia.

Perhaps the most serious incident from mid-November occurred in West Tripura district, where a BJP leader allegedly issued death threats to CPI(M) workers during Bihar victory celebrations on November 14. According to a complaint filed on November 16 at the New Capital Complex Police Station, BJP's Barjala Mandal leader Tinku Brata Das allegedly issued violent threats during a victory rally at Nutan Nagar Cooperative.

In a video that went viral on social media, Das was purportedly heard warning CPI(M) supporters to be careful or face danger to their lives.

CPI(M) Sadar Division Secretary Amal Chakraborty, who led the delegation to file the complaint, emphasised the gravity of the situation. "The Bihar election outcome was a part of normal political processes, but an unusual situation arose in Tripura, where alleged violence and intimidation occurred. Such remarks have created fear, mental distress and insecurity among our supporters. The threats could embolden BJP workers to resort to physical assaults, worsening the political climate," Chakraborty said.

Opposition links violence to Bihar anxiety

Responding to the post-Bihar election violence, Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury linked the attacks to anxiety about the Bihar results. "Right after the Bihar election results, a series of barbaric attacks by anti-social elements sheltered by the BJP has begun against opposition parties, particularly the CPI(M). One of their functionaries is even openly saying on camera that the CPI(M) and anyone who organises any programme will be physically attacked and 'taught a lesson'," Chaudhury said.

He suggested that the BJP was extremely anxious about the Bihar election result, not just in Tripura but across the entire country, implying that after years of having been in power, adverse results in the state would have had significant political consequences nationwide.

The November violence is not isolated but part of a disturbing pattern that has persisted for months. On September 20, a CPI(M) party office at Pratapgarh in Agartala was bulldozed at midnight. On October 4, coordinated attacks targeted multiple CPI(M) offices across Kamalpur and Ambassa Sub-divisions in Dhalai district, with party offices at Salema, Shantirbazaar, Jayanti Bazaar and Maracherra attacked on the same day.

BJP worker attacked, ally TIPRA Motha turns foe

While opposition parties face attacks from the ruling BJP, the state's coalition government itself has fractured into open violence. Between November 18 and 23, the tribal headquarters of Khumulwng witnessed unprecedented clashes between ruling coalition partners BJP and TIPRA Motha, exposing deep tensions between parties that govern together at the state level but compete as bitter rivals in tribal areas, especially now, just before the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.

Also read: Tripura Bandh Violence Exposes Rift in BJP-TIPRA Motha Coalition

The violence began on November 18 when three TIPRA Motha supporters were allegedly attacked by BJP workers near a park in Khumulwng, sustaining severe head injuries. In retaliation, Motha supporters ransacked and set fire to a BJP office around 8:30 PM, destroying party flags, furniture, and photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Manik Saha.

Violence escalated on November 19 at Jampuijala when TIPRA Motha supporters attacked a BJP office during a party meeting. BJP State General Secretary Bipin Debbarma claimed that BJP worker Suman Debbarma lost vision in one eye after being struck by a projectile, and alleged that a woman cooking behind the office was molested. The same day witnessed tit-for-tat attacks, with three TIPRA Motha offices gutted and a BJP worker's house burned across Jirania Khola and adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, chief minister Saha visited Khumulwng on November 21, stating that everyone is free to undertake political activities and any attempt to prevent this would be dealt with strongly. On the same day, Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma who is also a TIPRA Motha leader, demanded that the chief minister hand over charge of the home ministry to TIPRA Motha, claiming it would curb violence within three months. BJP firmly rejected the demand, with party leaders stating it had no basis.

On November 22, TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman escalated the rhetoric by suggesting TIPRA Motha could demand a Tiprasa chief minister. However, by November 23, Pradyot adopted a conciliatory approach, describing the chief minister as a gentleman and stating that internal forces were trying to create misunderstandings between them. He announced a personal contribution of Rs 21 lakh to rebuild damaged party offices.

Additional Superintendent of Police Himadri Prasad Das confirmed that police deployed substantial forces and detained several individuals suspected of involvement in the violence. On November 23, Radhapur Police Station's Officer-in-Charge was transferred.

The November violence between BJP and TIPRA Motha was also not without precedent. On July 27, TIPRA Motha supporters allegedly attacked BJP supporters during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat programme at Asharambari, injuring nine BJP workers. On September 20, TIPRA Motha supporters allegedly attacked a BJP event at Hezamara area, injuring four BJP supporters, including BJP Jananati Morcha vice-president, Mangal Debbarma, and a local journalist. Three days later, on September 23, TIPRA Motha supporters allegedly torched a BJP office, causing damages estimated between eight to ten lakh rupees.

Violence replaces dialogue as language of politics

Opposition parties allege that the pattern of violence reflects a systematic attempt to suppress political dissent. Concluding his statement on the recent violence, CPI(M) leader Chaudhury issued a call for unity among democratic forces. "They never had any respect for democracy, they do not have it and they never will. Not just condemnation... in the coming days, the main task will be for all democratic forces to unitedly confront them," Chaudhury said.

As Tripura's political temperature continues to rise, the state presents a troubling picture where constitutional rights appear subordinated to the politics of intimidation, where party offices have become targets rather than spaces for democratic organisation and where violence has replaced dialogue as the dominant language of political engagement.

With TTAADC elections approaching in 2026, the question remains whether democratic norms can be restored or whether violence will continue to define political life in this northeastern state.

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