TMC 'playing game' to help BJP in Tripura: Cong's state in-charge Ajoy Kumar

The Trinamool Congress is "playing a game" to support the BJP in Tripura but will not be able to hamper the Congress-Left alliance's chances in the assembly polls, the state's AICC in-charge Ajoy Kumar said on February 12.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the Left-Congress alliance, Kumar asserted that the tie-up was on a strong footing in the state as there was "political commonness" between the Congress and the CPI(M) in Tripura.  "You see the crowds (for Left-Congress alliance), see on the ground. 

The leaders may have small issues but the cadre people are all together. I have been travelling all over Tripura, it is quite heartening to see that," he told PTI in a telephonic interview from Agartala. Asked about the Tipra Motha party gaining ground in the tribal belt and if that will affect the Left-Congress, Kumar pointed to the head of CPI(M) in Tripura, Jitendra Chowdhury, being a tribal  leader.  

"He (Chaudhary) is actually a leader who speaks their (tribals') language. He is the son of the soil. So I think the tribals are also understanding that Jitendra Chowdhury represents the actual tribal aspirations," Kumar asserted. The tribals are shifting towards Chowdhury and the Congress leadership, he claimed. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, 20 seats are reserved for tribal areas.  On the TMC making a fray in Tripura and if it will damage the Left-Congress' chances, Kumar said, "I don't think so (it will hamper Left-Congress chances). I think the TMC is playing a game to support the BJP, that's my analysis." Pressed further on it, he claimed that "something is going on between the TMC and the BJP because all the Enforcement Directorate cases have been closed (against TMC leaders)". 

Kumar exuded confidence that the Left-Congress will form the next government in Tripura, claiming that there is tremendous amount of anger against the BJP.  He said the main issue is of the BJP's "false promises" and the "highest unemployment" being in Tripura.  Kumar also alleged that nothing was done for farmers, teachers and children by the BJP government. He claimed that political violence is the highest in Tripura and "jungle raj" was prevailing there. "People are disgusted, I got attacked. One can imagine if somebody like me got attacked, what would be the situation of the common people. Girls are raped, body is found 50 metres from a police station, they burn offices, attack people, law and order has collapsed," the Congress leader said, slamming the BJP. 

He said Congress has promised a return to the Old Pension Scheme, will support children's education, provide Rs 12,000 a year to the women of BPL families and give free electricity of 150 units. Asked about Prime Minister Modi's remarks that the Congress and Left have strangely chosen dosti' (friendship) in the northeastern state as against their normal kushti' (wrestling) in Kerala, Kumar said there is "political commonness" that the Congress has with the CPI(M) in Tripura. 

 "We are fighting an evil force and we need to fight together. We need to save democracy and we need to save the people," he said. The CPI(M) will contest 43 seats, the Congress 13, while other constituents of the alliance — the Forward Bloc, RSP and the CPI — will be contesting in one seat each. The alliance is supporting an independent candidate in the Ramnagar constituency in West Tripura.  The voting for the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16 and counting of votes will take place on March 2. In 2018, the BJP had stormed to power, gobbling up most of the Congress vote and partially cutting into the CPI(M)'s vote bank.