A top leader of the Tripura Congress on Monday rubbished pre-poll alliance or leaving seats for the Left Front in Tripura during the coming general elections to be held for two parliamentary seats in the state.
The stand of the Tripura Congress comes following the appeal of the CPI-M to the Congress to keep away from contesting in the coming parliamentary elections in two seats of Tripura like the understanding between the two parties in West Bengal and in order to consolidate the opposition vote against the ruling BJP.
Reacting to the CPI-M’s appeal, Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) vice president Tapas Dey said, “This is rubbish. Congress is the party which is politically fighting against the CPI-M since pre-independence and till date. So, there is no reason to make any underground or over-ground understanding with the CPI-M.”
The senior Congress leader and former MLA said, “A vested interested group is spreading such a thing for their own interest that the Congress and CPI-M will go for understanding. Congress and CPI-M here in Tripura will never go for any understanding and the PCC has resolved firmly that there will be no understanding with the CPI-M.”
When asked about the CPI-M’s claim that the if the Congress (whose vote share came down from over 40 per cent to less than 2 per cent in the last Assembly poll) fights the poll, it will only help the BJP to win by dividing the opposition votes, Deb viewed, “The very state of the CPI-M shows that they are weak and so, they should not contest.”
Rahul Gandhi welcoming former Tripura Cm Samir ranjan barman back to the Congress fold .It was an emotional moment for the former Cm when he met @RahulGandhi and words cannot describe the warmth between them . pic.twitter.com/3oUJG7vEUU
— Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 11, 2019
“At the national level, the CPI-M is a decaying force. The role of CPI-M has similarity with that of BJP if we see their functioning in the Assembly and outside. In 1972 with 18 members, the CPI-M was very arrogant and aggressive but this time it is very unfortunate that the Left Front could not ventilate the demands and sufferings of the people. They have totally failed to play the role of an opposition party here in Tripura. Keeping in view the support from the public during our protests in the streets, we are sure that we will be successful in the parliamentary election,” said Deb.
He also claimed, “People are now leaving the BJP and CPI-M and are joining the Congress in Tripura. So, if the Left Front decides otherwise depending on the national scenario, the Congress shall welcome them. But there is no possibility of alliance with the CPI-M in Tripura.”
Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president Maharaja Pradyot Kishore Debbarman along with former chief minister Samir Ranjan Barman called on All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi and AICC Tripura in-charge Luizinho Faleiro on Monday at New Delhi.
According to sources, Samir Ranjan Barman is likely to be the Congress candidate for West Tripura parliamentary seat while Debbarman is likely to contest from East Tripura seat.