A day after the CPI(M) and the Congress announced that they would fight the upcoming Tripura assembly elections together, BJP leader and Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday termed the alliance as “unholy” and said people will give a befitting reply to the two-party coalition.

He also alleged that they allied with each other "for survival" in the northeastern state, where the two parties were considered arch-rivals.

“It was strange to see the last night’s development between the CPI(M) and the Congress, and leaders of the two parties were seen embracing each other. CPI(M) had tortured hundreds of Congress workers, and now leaders of the two parties are holding each other’s hands for survival,” Saha told reporters on the sidelines of a government programme.

In a major shake-up in the political arena of the northeastern state, the alliance between the two parties was announced after AICC general secretary Ajoy Kumar held a meeting with CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Choudhury on Friday evening. Left Front convener Narayan Kar was also present at the meeting.

The announcement marks a tectonic shift in the state's political landscape, as the Congress was the main opposition to the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled Tripura for 25 years before being routed by the BJP in 2018.

Saha also said, “This is an unholy alliance…the people knew the tacit understanding between the CPI (M) and the Congress. They will give them a befitting reply in the election.” The polls to the 60-member assembly in Tripura are due this year.

He also rejected the allegations of shortage of food, shelter and livelihood in Tripura and said the opposition parties don’t see the all-around development, which is taking place in the northeastern state.

“They need to undergo cataract surgery immediately to see the peace, prosperity and development in Tripura,” he said.

Former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb also criticised the CPI(M) and the Congress for joining hands to fight against the BJP ahead of the assembly elections.

“What we saw last night confirms that the CPI(M) maintains good relations with the Congress. The Left party had ruled the state for 25 years because of the tacit understanding between the Congress and the CPI(M)”, Deb, now a Rajya Sabha MP, said.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.