New Delhi: The Tipra Motha Party suspended a party leader for seeking votes for the BJP ahead of the September 5 bypolls in the northeastern state of Tripura, a regional party functionary said on Sunday. Party said that the leader, Abu Khayer Miah, was suspended after a video of him asking for votes in favour of the ruling BJP for the by-election to the Boxanagar seat went viral on social media.


A leader in Sepahijala district, Miah had contested on a Tipra Motha ticket from the Boxanagar assembly constituency in the last elections held in February and conceded defeat, reported news agency PTI.


On the basis of the widely circulated video clip, Tipra Citizens' Forum, a wing of Tipra Motha, demanded disciplinary action against Miah, said party leader Animesh Debbarma.


“Taking serious note of the development, our party president BK Hrangkhawl and other senior leaders have decided to suspend Abu Khayer Miah for six months for violating party discipline. He was asked not to join the party's election-related activities during the by-polls,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.


"Miah has crossed the party's laxman rekha by seeking votes for the BJP as the Tipra Motha has not decided to whom it will support in the by-elections in two seats," Debbarma added.


 Notably, bypolls to Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies in Sepahijala district will be held on September 5.


Debbarma stated that a meeting will be held on August 22 to decide whom the party will back in the by-polls as the regional party has not fielded any candidate in the by-polls yet.


The by-poll to the Boxanagar constituency was necessitated after the death of CPI(M) MLA Samsul Haque. In Dhanpur, the by-election was necessitated after Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik resigned as the MLA of the constituency.


Meanwhile, the CPI(M)-led Left Front has already fielded Kaushik Chanda and Mijan Husain as its nominees for the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies respectively.


BJP has also nominated Taffajal Hussain for the Boxanagar assembly seat and Bindu Debnath for the Dhanpur segment.