Kolkata: Trinamool Congress is going all out to make political inroads in the northeastern state of Tripura. No wonder their target is not just the 2023 Tripura assembly election but also the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, the ruling BJP there is not ready to give even an inch to Trinamool Congress to spearhead its Mission Tripura plan.
While on one hand, BJP is vocal about the continuing post-poll violence in West Bengal allegedly spearheaded by the ruling party activists, on the other hand, on Monday, Trinamool Congress’s national general secretary, Abhishek Bandopadhyay’s vehicles were allegedly mobbed by the saffron camp activists, where his bodyguards were also severely injured. Naturally, Trinamool Congress has lambasted BJP over this attack. Now the question that is making the rounds is what will ultimately be the result of this series of attacks and counter-attacks, allegations and counter-allegations? Another question being raised is how far Trinamool Congress’s Mission Tripura will be fruitful?
Trinamool Congress has claimed that BJP is scared of Trinamool Congress’s political initiative in Tripura and that fear was reflected in the attack over Abhishek Bandopadhyay’s convoy. On this issue ETV Bharat talked to a cross section of political leaders and political observers.
Also read: Tripura outreach: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee alleges attack on his convoy
Popular youth leader of Trinamool Congress, Debansgshu Bhattacharya told ETV Bharat that a Jungle Raj is going on in Tripura. “The opposition does not have the right to conduct peaceful agitation or assembly there. The people are disgusted with the ruling party there. They want the government to change there. So they are scared and the reflection of the fear was in the attack on our national general secretary. BJP is feeling that Trinamool is becoming popular in Tripura slowly. So they are trying to stop us there at any cost,” he said.
However, his comments were rubbished by BJP’s state vice president, Jaiprakash Majumdar. “There is no harm in Trinamool Congress daydreaming about Tripura. But to do that first they need to establish brand, develop their organizational network there. We do not support the attack on Abhishek Bandopadhyay’s convoy. But at the same time he should remember that the attack on the convoy of our national president, JP Nadda took place within Bandopadhyay’s constituency, Diamond Harbour,” Majumdar said.
Speaking on this issue, CPI(M) central committee member and the former leader of the left legislative party in West Bengal assembly, Sujan Chakraborty said that the Trinamool Congress and BJP were two sides of the same coin. “The people of Tripura are so frustrated with the BJP rule there that they want the Left Front to return to power next year. Trinamool is diverting the attention there by trying to project a Trinamool versus BJP contest there. Only BJP is benefitting out of it,” he said.
Also read: 7 Cong leaders join Trinamool in Tripura; party to announce state unit on Monday
Speaking on this issue, renowned political scientist and observer, Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay said that it is natural that Trinamool is aiming to capture power in Tripura and hence trying to expand its organizational base there. “But it does not mean that they have already reached that position of strength there. They are yet to establish their organizational strength there in true sense. You must remember that the Left Front still has a strong organizational presence in Tripura. I do not think that many leaders from Left Front or even Congress in Tripura will join Trinamool Congress there,” he said.
