Former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar's convoy attacked by BJP workers

KOLKATA: Former Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar's convoy was attacked allegedly by BJP workers on Monday morning. Some youths armed with sticks and bamboo poles attacked the convoy of Sarkar, who was on his way to his constituency at Dhanpur.

Sarkar got down from the vehicle and asked the youths why they had attacked his convoy. Local CPI(M) supporters took him to a safe area. Later, they took out a rally in protest against the incident. BJP leaders, however, denied involvement of their party workers in the attack.

They said Sarkar did not do any development work in his constituency. "People are not happy with him and the attack is an expression of public outcry," they alleged.

Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Minister of Tripura on Sunday, gave a message to his party followers asking them to develop close contacts with the CPI(M) workers. Within 12 hours after he gave the message, there was an attack on the former CM's convoy. Kunal Ghosh, secretary of Trinamool Congress's state unit said: "In Tripura, people have become politically polarised, BJP or Trinamool. BJP is trying to bring the CPI(M) workers to their fold by applying force. But such tactics will not work. More and more people are showing their allegiance to TMC and this has made the BJP visibly nervous."

Ghosh had been to Tripura after TMC workers and leaders were attacked by the BJP supporters. He reiterated that the BJP government would be ousted in the 2023 Assembly election.