No place for muscle power in politics, development must come first: Tripura CM Manik Saha

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday, September 6 accused the Opposition of trying to confuse people through divisive politics, asserting that the BJP-led government is focused on development and public welfare under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a large public meeting organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 4-Barjala Mandal, Saha said the upcoming Village Committee elections would be contested by the BJP as part of the NDA alliance.

The Chief Minister alleged that the CPI(M) and Congress were attempting to regain political ground by creating divisions among people.

“We have so many elections coming up. Village Committee elections are coming, and we will contest them with the NDA alliance. But for some time, attempts have been made to create a divide-and-rule situation,” Saha said.

Referring to the CPI(M)’s long tenure in Tripura, he said people had already rejected the party and would not accept its return to power.

“The people will never accept them. They are still carrying the thinking of 1978, about how they can come to form the government,” he said.

CM Saha also criticised the Congress-CPI(M) alliance, alleging that both parties were primarily interested in political power.

He said the BJP’s growing electoral strength reflected people’s trust in the party and its leadership. Referring to the upcoming local body elections, including elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation and Nagar Panchayats, he expressed confidence that the BJP would repeat its previous performance.

The Chief Minister said political parties should win public confidence through development rather than the use of force.
“In politics, people want someone whom they can believe and trust. You cannot do politics with muscle power. We have to work for the people,” he said.

Highlighting welfare initiatives, Dr Saha said the government was working to provide drinking water, housing, food and cooking gas connections to people.

He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the BJP’s continued popularity, saying the Prime Minister was focused on the welfare of ordinary citizens and the country’s development.

“We have a guardian like PM Modi who only thinks about the people and how to work for development,” Dr Saha said.

CM Saha also highlighted India’s economic growth, saying the country had emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy, and asserted that the Tripura government was similarly working to improve the lives of people at the state level.