Agartala: Calling Biplab Deb, Chief Minister of Tripura " Big Flop Deb", Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the BJP-led government's date to rule will "expire in February 2023".
Addressing a rally here on Sunday afternoon, he promised to end what he claimed was "BJP's misrule" and said his party would follow Bengal's model of "good governance" to deliver fruits of development to the people of the northeastern state.
"Today was the Khunti Puja that is marked as the beginning of Durga Puja preparations and the immersion will take place in 2023," Banerjee said.
Banerjee said he will again come to Tripura in November after the "Kali Puja and Bhai phonta" were over. Accepting Tripura chief minister's call that Mamata Banerjee should also hold a rally here, he stated that the Trinamool supremo and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will address a rally at the Vivekananda ground here in December.
Taking a dig at the Left and BJP, Banerjee said both CPI(M) and BJP governments in Tripura had taken recourse to hooliganism and said his party would successfully take on both in the coming Assembly elections.
Challenge Tripura CM and BJP leader Biplab Deb, who might use brute force to retain power in the forthcoming civic election where Trinamool Congress will field candidates, The TMC national general secretary said: "It will be foolish on his part if he tries this. Trinamool is not CPI(M) or Congress and any attempt to use force will be dealt with seriously but peacefully. I am ten times more stubborn than Deb and I do what I say."
Alleging that BJP had tried every nasty trick to stop him from visiting Tripura, he said: "BJP goons tried to stop me when I visited the Tripureshwari temple in August. On September 15 permission was not given to me to address a rally. On September 22, prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC was clamped. They made the RT- PCR negative report mandatory. I have brought the report as well as the certificate of two doses of vaccine. I saw a long queue of people. Why punish them because of me." He added: "They interrogated Kunal Ghosh for delivering provocative speeches but could not show him a copy of the FIR. They withdrew the permission to hold the rally at this venue. Finally, we moved the High Court and got permission."
The TMC MP from Diamond Harbour said the police officers told TMC leaders that "there was pressure from above and so they could not give permission to hold the rally. He alleged: "Delhi is controlling the state and Biplab Deb is a mere puppet in their hands. He is more inclined to say yes sir to keep his chair."
Banerjee said just as people in Bengal had chased away the central BJP leaders, the people in Tripura will do the same thing. "Have faith in us. Rest assured we are not going to leave Tripura. We have come to establish democracy in Tripura. The condition of people is worse than what was before," he said adding: ...
"If voted to power all the pro-people schemes which have been implemented in Bengal will come here."
They withdrew the permission to hold the rally at this venue. Finally, we moved the High Court and got permission."
The TMC MP from Diamond Harbour said the police officers told TMC leaders that "there was pressure from above and so they could not give permission to hold the rally. He alleged: "Delhi is controlling the state and Biplab Deb is a mere puppet in their hands. He is more inclined to say yes sir to keep his chair."
Banerjee said just as people in Bengal had chased away the central BJP leaders, the people in Tripura will do the same thing. "Have faith in us. Rest assured we are not going to leave Tripura. We have come to establish democracy in Tripura. The condition of people is worse than what was before," he said adding: "If voted to power all the pro-people schemes which have been implemented in Bengal will come here."
Banerjee said those musclemen of CPI(M) who have now joined BJP to scare the people will ultimately join TMC. "Rest assured we will take them and force them to work for people for five years and Duare goonda will be replaced by Duare Sarkar," he said.
Banerjee added TMC had come to Tripura in 2016 but could not make any breakthrough as the party was not fully prepared. "This time we are fully prepared and the BJP government will be thrown out in 2023," Banerjee claimed.