Tripura’s former chief minister and Lok Sabha poll candidate Biplab Kumar Deb has said that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury got the opportunity to become the leader of the Opposition in the state because of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s mercy.
Deb, who would contest from the West Lok Sabha constituency, one of the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura, said, “The CPI(M) became the main opposition party only after the TIPRA Motha joined the BJP. Jitendra Chaudhury became the Opposition leader because of our mercy. He won the Assembly polls (held in 2023) from Sabroom constituency due to the mercy of (TIPRA Motha founder) Maharaj Pradyot Kishore Manikya”, said Deb while speaking at a rally organised as part of a poll campaign at Charilam in Sepahijala district on Sunday.
Slamming the Congress-CPI(M) alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “Time is still there. Join us. There is no point in staying with them (CPM and Congress). They (both the parties) work for their personal benefit. PM Narendra Modi works for the country, he doesn’t work for himself. Our karyakartas ( activists) will visit each household to seek blessings for me and vote for Modiji,” he said.
Being partners in the opposition INDIA alliance, the CPM and the Congress shared the two Lok Sabha seats. Congress president Asish Kumar Saha was fielded from West Lok Sabha constituency against Biplab Deb while the CPI(M) fielded former MLA Rajendra Reang to contest from ST-reserved East Lok Sabha constituency against BJP candidate Kriti Singh Debbarma, granddaughter of last ruler of the state Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya.
{{/usCountry}}Being partners in the opposition INDIA alliance, the CPM and the Congress shared the two Lok Sabha seats. Congress president Asish Kumar Saha was fielded from West Lok Sabha constituency against Biplab Deb while the CPI(M) fielded former MLA Rajendra Reang to contest from ST-reserved East Lok Sabha constituency against BJP candidate Kriti Singh Debbarma, granddaughter of last ruler of the state Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya.
{{/usCountry}}Deb further said, “People are aware of the 25-year-long regime of the CPI(M)-led state government, the Congress-led coalition government and the ten years of the Left government prior to 2018. These governments were formed by fights between the two parties. Now, I want to ask the Congress candidate how they have reconciled the old bitter rivalry.”
Reacting to Deb’s statement, CPI(M) secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said, “It shows (Deb’s) political immaturity. His statements prove that the party (BJP) is full of political clowns”.