New Delhi: Tripura CPM state secretary has shot off a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, demanding an inquiry into the reasons for National Security Advisor AjitDoval's presence at a BJP-RSS meet to discuss elections in the north eastern states of Tripura, Mehghalaya and Nagaland.

Earlier, the Left had sought a clarification from Union home minister Rajnath Singh over the episode.

Attaching copies of newspaper reports that claim Doval was present at the BJP-RSS' election strategy meeting for the poll-bound north eastern states, Tripura state secretary of CPM, BijanDhar referred to the move as a "misuse of administration" that is a "real threat to the democratic system of the country".

He said, "Presence of any person holding very important position like that of National Security Advisor is not only undesirable and objectionable, it is a glaring instance of blatant misuse of administration by the ruling party at the centre for garnering political mileage in the elections."

Dhar's letter, sent to the CEC on January 15, also urged the CEC to initiate an inquiry into the matter. "You being an authority to oversee that no political party, either incumbent or in opposition, may not get any undue electoral opportunity by use of administration, may I request you kindly to order an appropriate authority for investigation into the matter and take stern legal measures in the event it is found fact in the investigation."
The ManikSarkar-led Left Front government and BJP are locked in a pitched battle for the elections due in Tripura in February this year. On the one hand, while BJP's proposal to enter into an electoral alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) has triggered a storm, the Left has used the opportunity to attack the saffron party by claiming they are backing IPFT's demand for a separate state for the indigenous tribals of Tripura. 

While IPFT has already announced its support to the BJP, the latter has not announced any formal decision in this regard, as yet.

The Home minister had, however, assured IPFT the government would form a high-powered committee to look into their demands and to protect and promote their socio-economic and cultural interests. The BJP did not, however, support the demand for a separate state for the indigenous population.