Agartala, Dec 27 : Exactly a year after dousing the fire of discontent among partymen over distribution of 1,500 appointment offers for the posts of subject teachers, the ruling CPM in Tripura now faces a more serious disaffection among youths and job-seekers over the same issue. This time, there are vacancies for 2,000 graduate teachers.

The situation has taken such a turn that in areas of West, North and South Tripura districts, irate job-seekers have forcibly closed down the party’s local and branch committee offices.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources in the party said the fire of discontent had been fuelled by receipt of job offers by youths of rich families and close relatives of local-level party leaders. Citing an instance, sources said Amir Hossain, a resident of Ashabari village under Sonamura subdivision has been given a job offer even though he is currently working as a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia.

“This offer will go to waste as he has deposited his passport with his employers in Saudi Arabia and cannot return to avail of the job opportunity,” sources said, adding that many unemployed youths and CPM workers in Sonamura subdivision have been awaiting job offers for a long time.

Of the 81 job offers slated for Sonamura, 48 have gone to candidates from relatively wealthy households and the remaining 33 are on hold.

Last year, too, there was strong resentment over the issue of offers for subject teachers and a large group of unemployed youths — all party members — had closed down the party’s office in Telkajla of Sonamura subdivision. As a result, Gautam Chowdhury, son of late CPM leader and MP Samar Chowdhury, was expelled from the party.

Reports of similar outrage among unemployed party workers and supporters have come from North Tripura’s Sripur as angry party workers locked up the CPM local committee office, asking local leaders not to try and enter the office again. The local CPM legislator Bijay Roy and his son had been barred from setting foot on Sripur without job offers for deprived workers.

“The situation has worsened because of gross nepotism in proffering job offers. Two brothers of the same family have received offers within a period of six months at Fatikroy, known to be a stronghold of CPM,” sources alleged.