GUWAHATI: Tripura Congress has received a boost with the joining of over 1000 workers in its fold ahead of party president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state and in the wake of the parliamentary elections.
Tripura Congress spokesperson, Tapas Dey told The Shillong Times on Sunday that about 700 of those who joined the party are from state chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s legislative Assembly constituency, Banamalipur, while about 89 of them belong to health minister, Sudip Roy Barman’s legislative Assembly constituency, which is Agartala.
“The message is loud and clear that these people who were earlier supporters of the ruling party have deserted their own candidate to join the Opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, which augurs well for Congress. They apparently are not happy with the functioning of the Biplab Deb government,” Dey said.
Tripura Congress is looking at anti-incumbency and BJP’s intent to pass the “anti-indigenous” Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as factors to garner public support for the party as it gears up to contest the two Lok Sabha constituencies, Tripura East (ST) and Tripura West (Gen), next month.
The Tripura PCC spokesperson further said that during his visit to the state to address a public rally at Khumulwng on March 20, party chief Rahul Gandhi would try to establish a connect among the indigenous communities.
“Khumulwng, the headquarters of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council was chosen as the venue for the rally also keeping in mind the fact that many people cannot come to Agartala,” Dey said.
Tripura Congress is also trying to regain lost ground in the tribal belt as part of a broader strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The party however is yet to announce its candidates for the parliamentary elections. “We will be announcing the candidates on March 20 or 21,” Dey said, even as he did not rule out any alliance with the Indigenous Nationalist Pary of Twipra.
While the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), the ally of ruling BJP in the state, is yet to confirm whether it was contesting the polls on its own, the indecision has worked in favour of Congress.
“The fact that the tall claims of BJP have fallen flat will hurt them. They have not been able to manage their junior ally, which apparently is showing signs of pressure, let alone govern the state,” he added.
