Trinamul general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday asserted his party will come to power in Tripura under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership in 2023 and went with all guns blazing against ruling BJP and state chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

At a rally in Agartala on Sunday, Abhishek said Trinamul was the “only vaccine” for the “BJP virus”.

“The BJP is a virus more dangerous than the corona. It has no cure.… There is only vaccine. The name of the vaccine is Mamata Banerjee. We need to give double dose to the BJP, first on November 25 (municipal polls) and second in 2023 (Assembly polls). We have to finish the BJP and make Tripura virus-free,” the MP said. Trinamul will contest all the seats in the urban body polls on November 25, he said.

He attacked Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, calling him “Big Flop Deb” who had “failed” to deliver”.

Trinamul’s victory journey started with the “court win yesterday” and “will end with the vote in 2023”, he said, referring to the permission granted by High Court of Tripura on Saturday to Trinamul to hold the public meeting in front of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala as scheduled, keeping the crowd within 500. Earlier, West Tripura police had ordered the organisers to shift the venue, citing Covid concerns.

“Trinamul will form the government in Tripura in 2023 under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Try to stop us. We will continue to fight till the last drop of our blood. Our journey started with the court win and will end with the vote....” Abhishek said, alleging the BJP-led administration tried to derail the rally on the pretext of checking Covid.

Hitting out at the BJP, he said: “See what is happening. There is division along religious lines. Mosques are being attacked... We carry everybody together. We don’t divide in the name of religion.”

At the rally, Tripura BJP MLA Ashis Das joined Trinamul while former Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee returned to the party.

The Tripura TMC unit later tweeted “@BjpBiplabis now BIG FLOP DEB!” He has toyed with the sentiments of the people of Tripura and has proven himself to be a complete FAILURE when it comes to governance.”