Former Tripura Chief Minister and veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Manik Sarkar has called for all parties to unite against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Ahead of the assembly elections in Tripura, scheduled to be held next year, Sarkar called for unity accusing the ruling BJP of setting a wrong precedence in the state.

The former CM accused BJP of “looting votes” in the recently held by-elections in the state.

Sarkar said, “The BJP won votes by resorting to terror tactics and throttling the voice of democracy.”

“The BJP is slaughtering democracy in Tripura,” he added.

He said that a large chunk of people in Tripura voted defying the BJP’s “terror tactics”. However, when the party saw that the people were losing faith in the government and in the party, they changed the chief minister, Sarkar alleged.

The veteran politician also called out present CM Manik Saha for allegedly rigging elections. He said that Saha won the by-polls from Town Bordowali constituency by “massive poll rigging”.

“If BJP retains power in Tripura, the state will be ruined and its economy and culture would not be able to fight back,” said Sarkar.