Alipurduar MP Barla alleges conspiracy ahead of elections

Alipurduar: Amid the approaching Lok Sabha elections, internal conflicts within the BJP have surfaced in Alipurduar. John Barla, Member of Parliament from Alipurduar and the Union Minister of State for the Minority Development department, expressed his discontent with the BJP leadership for not being nominated for the central Alipurduar seat.

Floating the conspiracy theory, Barla scorned: “Suvendu Adhikari will now help the BJP from this seat.”

Barla voiced his concerns during a meeting with his followers and tea workers at the Banarhat Lakshipara on Tuesday, alleging a conspiracy against him. Barla accused Manoj Tigga and other MLAs of conspiring against him, claiming that they failed to consult the Adivasi society and tea garden labourers before declaring the candidate for the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat.

Expressing his dismay, Barla, who was in Delhi at the time, mentioned the unrest within the tea gardens upon hearing that Manoj Tigga would be contesting on behalf of the BJP. “I have done so much for the party. Earlier the BJP could not even put up party flags. They could not field agents in booths also. After I came to the BJP in 2014, we started putting up party flags in the gardens.”

“I have the Adivasi organisation with me. People will not be willing to campaign for Manoj Tigga, and if they don’t, why should I? I remain committed to the Adivasi people and will not contest from any other parliamentary seat, standing by my people here. Manoj Tigga betrayed the Adivasi community, and he will not win this election,” declared Barla.

In response, Manoj Tigga, BJP candidate for the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat and the BJP Alipurduar district president, dismissed Barla’s claims, stating: “Conspiracies cannot determine the candidate. The central monitoring committee suggests the candidate’s name to the party.”