Ironical it may sound the Trinamool Congress now claims it is only Mamata Banerjee who can save the dignity of the CPM’s ‘ Red Flags’ in Tripura .
Desperate in TMC’s attempt to make a foray into Tripura politics and oust the BJP the appeal for Leftist parties’ support for them came from former CPM and presently TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee.
Banerjee, who was a CPM MP before his joining to TMC, flanked Subal Bhowmik and Prakash Chandra Das said in a press conference “I appeal to all the Leftists in Tripura to strengthen Mamata Banerjee’s hand if they want to save the red flags. If Trinamool Congress comes to power, the opposition party offices will not be vandalized by bulldozers and nobody will damage Lenin’s statue. So, if you (leftists) want to save the dignity of the red flags (Lal Jhanda) then TMC has to be strengthened”.
The statement according to political observers sounded like the first step towards TMC’s attempt to bring the opposition parties under one umbrella against the ruling BJP-IPFT combine.
“This was evidently an open invitation to the CPM from TMC for a sort of political understanding. The attitude behind the statement was eloquent enough to indicate the future poll strategies that would be in store”, said an observer adding that later similar such offers and calls might likely be made for other national and regional parties.
Tripura had always witnessed bi-polar politics, once it was CPM vs Congress now it is CPM vs BJP. The Trinamool Congress being the late entrant in the Tripura politics would find it hard to get a space. Even if they wanted to fight it out alone, then the division among the opposition votes in 2023 assembly elections would only help BJP sail past comfortably. “Hence is the appeal, and it came from no other than a former CPM leader who maintains some strong acquaintances in the state”, he added.
Banerjee, who along with another TMC leader from West Bengal Chandrima Bhattacharya arrived in Tripura on Tuesday to look after the organization, was addressing a press conference in Agartala. Local TMC leader Subal Bhowmik and others were present in the press conference.
While criticizing the role of BJP government on various issues, Banerjee also assured that the Trinamool Congress would have committees up to the booth level in Tripura by December 31 next. He also poked at the government on 10,323 teachers’ termination issue.
Referring to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s comment that some leaders (of TMC) were involved in cattle smuggling in West Bengal, the TMC MP said such comment clearly indicates that BJP was losing ground.
