The Trinamul Congress on Monday asserted that it would form the next government in Tripura, daring the ruling BJP to stop the challenger if it can.
The announcement was made by Trinamul’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at a news conference in Agartala, hours after his convoy was attacked by suspected BJP workers at Parimal Chowmani in the Gomati district, about 54km away.
Abhishek was on his way to offer prayers at the Tripurasundari Temple in Gomati, soon after his arrival at the Agartala airport, when the incident took place around 1pm.
The Diamond Harbour MP tweeted a video of purported BJP workers protesting with party flags, raining blows on the car he was travelling in.
His tweet added: “Democracy in Tripura under @BJP4India rule!… Well done @BjpBiplab for taking the state to new heights.” The reference was to Tripura chief minister and BJP leader Biplab Deb.
Trinamul’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien raised the issue on the floor of the House.
Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee visits Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, Tripura, on Monday. PTI
Tripura Trinamul leader Ashish Lal Singh said BJP workers attacked supporters who were putting up banners and posters near the airport around 11am. He said banners and posters were found damaged in several parts of the state.
The ruling BJP said there were protests but no attacks. The BJP workers’ protest was against the “atrocities” against the party in Bengal since the third consecutive victory of Trinamul, Tripura BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said.
At the news conference, Abhishek said his party’s intent was to go all out and win the next Assembly polls in the northeastern state in 2023. He repeatedly said his party was in Tripura to stay and to meet the “aspirations” of the people as well as revive democracy.
Abhishek took several digs at chief minister Deb, accusing him of being “remote-controlled” by the national leadership of the BJP and daring him and his party to stop him and Trinamul, “if they can”.
Abhishek said anyone who wanted to fight the BJP, even if they are from other parties, was welcome to join Trinamul, adding he would visit the state at least twice a month henceforth.
A few senior leaders from other parties are expected to join the party in his presence, said sources in the party. Trinamul has been inducting various leaders from other parties in recent weeks.
Most of the posters, banners and other publicity material put up for the Abhishek visit had the slogan “Ebar Tripura (This time, Tripura)” prominently displayed, conveying the party’s intent to win Tripura, which had voted overwhelmingly for the BJP-IPFT combine to unseat the Left Front government in 2018.
Political observers said that Trinamul has been able to up the ante over the past week or so, first by drawing pan-India attention to the “house arrest” of Prashant Kishor’s I-Pac members and following it up with the visit by Mamata’s political heir-apparent.
“But it will take more than noise on social and mainstream media, because there is hardly any Trinamul organisation on the ground. Moreover, the BJP may be faltering a bit, but people have not forgiven the follies of the Left Front during its 25-year rule in the state. Trinamul has to sustain this momentum and build on it,” said one of them.