Tripura (Agartala): Former Trinamool Congress President and present BJP MLA Ratan Chakraborty claimed that the Trinamool Congress just wanted to hold its national party tag, and that is why the party is trying to foray into Tripura. "They need six percent votes to ensure their national party status. This is why the TMC is so desperate about Tripura", said Chakraborty. The BJP legislator who is among the few leaders who had witnessed TMC's genesis in Tripura, observed that the state's soil does not allow such forces to grow stronger. He had made the remarks in the wake of TMC Bengal leaders Malay Ghatak, Bratya Basu and Ritabrata Banerjee having arrived in Tripura from Kolkata on Wednesday to support the IPAC team.
"Trinamool has tried to gain momentum in Tripura earlier also. I along with late Sudhir Ranjan Majumdar had first approached the Trinamool Congress leadership. But, I was disappointed by the role of the party’s central leadership. I contested a by-election on the Trinamool ticket. When my victory was assured, TMC betrayed me. They issued leaflets denying my affiliation with the party and no central leader came forward to help. Those who have come here to revive the party must understand one thing that Tripura’s soil is not for them and people can’t be manipulated all the time," Chakraborty added.
He also lashed out at the TMC on its new stand of opening channels of dialogues with the Left that paved the way for a new political chemistry between the Left and the Trinamool Congress.
"On July 21, the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had delivered a fiery speech. She said many things fit for her political overtures but missed a lot. She restrained herself from speaking anything against the CPIM—the party that was responsible for the bloodletting clashes. This is, perhaps, because of the new realignment chemistry and this may also be the reason behind Trinamool’s expedition to Tripura. But, frankly speaking those good old days are gone," said Chakraborty adding that people of Tripura witnessed real development under the BJP era and that people belonging to all classes including the tribals are given respect.
"This is a pure welfare state. Without any movement, agitation or demand, services are being provided at people's doorstep and the tribals are getting ample respect. Pioneer of new Tripura, Maharaja Bir Bikram whose efforts were never recognized by the previous government, is being given the highest respect with a holiday announced on his birth anniversary", added Chakraborty.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee also said that the TMC was trying to consolidate the anti-BJP votes and in the run up to this, they may end up on same platform with the Left. "The statement of CPIM’s supreme leader indicates the same”, he said in an oblique reference to Manik Sarkar’s sympathetic statement towards I-PAC.
Congress leader Subal Bhowmik meets TMC delegation, likely to be party's face in Tripura
Amid widespread speculations and TMC's gradually growing popularity in Tripura, former BJP vice president and defeated Congress president from West Tripura parliamentary constituency Subal Bhowmik, on Thursday, met the three member Trinamool Congress team at Hotel Polo Tower.
Sources in the TMC say that Bhowmik might likely be appointed the president of Trinamool Congress's new state committee in Tripura. Although, Bhowmik speaking to the media persons while exiting the hotel compound, had said that he met the TMC leaders as he shares a good relationship with his old colleagues and he has no political intentions. "Malay Da is a good friend of mine. We met and held casual discussions on several issues. There was nothing political", he added.
Speculations are also rife that the TMC is in talks with some other leaders who are not happy with the BJP. "Accommodating the dissenters in the TMC, the party will grow stronger day by day. The same strategy is being followed that was applied by BJP prior to the 2018 assembly elections", said a TMC source.
