Agartala, Feb 2 : The Tripura CPM is all set to kick off its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections through a monthlong statewide agitation against the Centre from Saturday on the directive of the party’s politburo.

A final decision has been taken at the party’s state committee meeting that began yesterday.

The secretary of the CPM’s West Bengal unit, Biman Bose, who is presiding over the state committee meeting on behalf of the politburo, has urged the state committee members to swing into action immediately with an anti-Centre agitation with eyes on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“The Congress has changed its course and reverted to its old ways. Hence, we cannot have any truck with this party. To retain or strengthen our position in politics at the national level we have to win as many seats as possible,” Bose told the committee members yesterday.

He said after the withdrawal of support to the UPA government at the Centre by the Left parties, the Congress had been trying to wreak vengeance on the CPM and its leaders and cited the case of CBI investigation against Kerala unit secretary Pinyarai Vijayan.

“The only way we can strengthen our position is by highlighting various issues in public interest and fighting for them and that is why a nationwide agitation will be launched from February 7 to press for our longstanding demands from the Centre,” Bose said.

The monthlong agitation would be converted to a formal campaign, he said.

The state committee will also finalise the party’s nominations for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state. It will, however, need the politburo’s approval.

“The issue of byelection in the Town Bardowali Assembly constituency also came up for discussion. It has been decided to allot the seat to the Forward Bloc,” a source said. 

The PCC continues to be rent by feuding among its leaders over nomination for the two Lok Sabha and the Town Bardowali Assembly seats.

A number of aspirants, including sitting MLA Sudip Roy Barman, the son of PCC president Samir Ranjan Barman, have emerged for nomination to the West Tripura Lok Sabha seat.

For the tribal reserved East Tripura seat, Maharaja Pradyot Kishore Debbarman is the preferred candidate but he has refused to join the fray.