CPI(M) Slams BJP Government in Tripura for Corruption, Unfulfilled Promises Amid Anniversary Celebrations
Agartala, Mar 08, 2025, By Our Correspondent47
As the ruling BJP celebrated the completion of two years of its second tenure in Tripura, the opposition CPI(M) launched a fierce attack, accusing the government of widespread corruption and failing to deliver on its pre-poll promises. Jitendra Choudhury, the CPI(M) state secretary and leader of the opposition, addressed a press conference on Saturday, highlighting the government's alleged failures and betrayals.
Unfulfilled Job Promises and Rising Unemployment
Choudhury criticized the BJP for not fulfilling its promise of creating 50,000 jobs, a commitment made ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections. He claimed that the government had deceived the unemployed youth of Tripura, who now find themselves in a more precarious situation.
“The unemployed youths of the state were duped by this government, which is now celebrating the second year anniversary of their second tenure,” Choudhury remarked, accusing the BJP of turning a blind eye to the growing unemployment crisis.
The CPI(M) leader alleged that due to a lack of adequate employment opportunities, many jobless youths were being pushed into illegal activities such as drug trafficking, land brokerage, and unlawful contract negotiations to survive. He argued that this situation was a direct consequence of the government's inability to generate sufficient jobs.
Allegations of Rampant Corruption
Choudhury further accused the BJP-led government of institutionalizing corruption from the state capital to the grassroots level. He claimed that no public work—from the civil secretariat to gram panchayats—was being executed without the payment of commissions.
“Corruption is going rampant in the state under the BJP rule. The government is allowing certain BJP leaders and officials to collect commissions by favouring contractors from outside the state for project works,” he alleged.
The opposition leader highlighted that out-of-state contractors were being awarded most of the major projects through manipulated tenders, effectively sidelining local contractors. This practice, according to him, was aimed at ensuring hefty commissions for BJP leaders and their associates.
Failure to Fulfill MGNREGA Promises
Choudhury also took a swipe at the BJP’s promises regarding the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He recalled that the then BJP national president Amit Shah had assured the people of Tripura of 200 mandays of work with a daily wage of Rs 340 if the BJP came to power. However, the reality, he claimed, was starkly different, with the state barely managing an average of 40 mandays.
The CPI(M) leader further alleged that even the job card holders who managed to get work under MGNREGA were not being paid regularly, despite completing their duties. This, he argued, had left many rural families in a dire economic state.
Accusations of Betraying Government Employees
Choudhury accused the BJP government of deceiving government employees in the name of implementing the 7th Central Pay Commission. He pointed out that the employees in Tripura were yet to receive the remaining 23% Dearness Allowance (DA) compared to the 53% DA received by their counterparts under the central government. This, he claimed, had led to widespread dissatisfaction among government employees in the state.
Neglect of Tribal Welfare Despite Promises
The CPI(M) leader also launched a scathing attack on BJP's alliance partner, TIPRA Motha, accusing it of failing to uplift the socio-economic condition of the tribal communities in Tripura.
He highlighted that despite promises of a Rs 1,000 crore World Bank project for tribal welfare, the ground reality remained grim. According to Choudhury, many tribal areas continued to suffer from a lack of clean drinking water, poor road infrastructure, insufficient irrigation facilities, and inadequate healthcare and educational services.
He alleged that instead of working towards the development of tribal areas, the current government was pushing these communities further backward.
Call for Accountability and Immediate Action
Concluding his address, Choudhury demanded that the BJP-led government take immediate steps to fulfill its pre-poll promises and address the rampant corruption and administrative failures plaguing the state. He warned that the CPI(M) would intensify its movements against the government's policies if immediate corrective measures were not implemented.
The CPI(M)’s sharp critique comes at a time when the BJP is celebrating its achievements, setting the stage for a heated political battle in Tripura in the coming months.