Tripura bypolls: Abhishek urges electors to prevent split in anti-BJP votes

kolkata/agartala: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday urged electors to prevent a split in anti-BJP votes in the upcoming Tripura Assembly bypolls by exercising their franchise in favour of the Mamata Banerjee-led party instead of "wasting their votes" on Congress and CPI(M).

The TMC national general secretary, who was in Agartala to campaign for party candidates in the by-elections to four Assembly constituencies — namely Surma, Agartala Town Bardowali and Jubarajnagar — scheduled on June 23, alleged that Tripura has one of the highest unemployment rates at 18 per cent as per CMIE data, and reports the highest number of incidents of political violence in the Northeast region.

It may be mentioned that Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha will contest the bypolls from Town Bardowali.

Banerjee alleged that the ruling BJP has unleashed "terror tactics" to scare voters ahead of the bypolls.

"Two of our candidates — Panna Deb (Agartala) and Sanhita Bhattacharya (Town Bardowali) — were attacked by BJP goons. Democracy has been throttled in Tripura," he said. "Today I have done the Khunti puja (a ritual done to mark the beginning of Durga Puja) and the immersion (bhasan) of BJP will take place in the 2023 Assembly election," Banerjee remarked. He alleged that during the BJP rule in Tripura, no development had taken place. "In Teliamura, not even 100 meters of road have been properly maintained. The infrastructure in the health sector is in shambles. The BJP often talks about the Double Engine government. Double engine means double corruption," he stated.

He said the BJP was mortally scared of Trinamool Congress as massive erosion had taken place in its support base.

"When I first came to Tripura on August 2, 2021, BJP goons tried to stop me from reaching Tripureswari temple. They thought that by scaring me they would be able to prevent TMC from coming to the state. They, however, are not aware that TMC will come out with more strength and their (BJP) pressure tactics will not be able to deter the party's resolve," he said.

He urged the people not to waste their vote by casting it in favour of CPI(M) and Congress. "If you cast your vote in favour of CPI(M) or Congress you actually help the BJP. CPI(M) did nothing for the development of the state during its 25-year rule. The BJP also wants to keep the people in poverty and do not believe in development," he said.

"If the people of Bengal could throw the CPI(M) out of power after 34 years of misrule then why can't the people of Tripura do it," he asked.

He assured that if voted to power, pro-people initiatives like Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashree, Yubashree and Students' Credit card would be introduced in Tripura.

Trinamool leaders including Rajib Banerjee, Sushmita Dev, party's MP and Subol Bhowmick also attended the rally. The bypolls were necessitated by the death of CPI(M) MLA Ramendra Chandra Debnath (Jubarajnagar) and the resignations of Roy Barman (Agartala) and Asish Saha (Town Bardowali).

Besides, the Surma seat became vacant after BJP legislator Asish Das was declared disqualified by the Assembly speaker.