• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

After a prolonged 25-year of misrule by the Left Front in Tripura and their reiteration of central deprivation, words like ‘Development’, ‘Progress’ and ‘Welfare’ have been witnessed by the people here in this state with the formation of Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (BJP-IPFT) coalition government led by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

Now, BJP-led government is in state and centre, i.e. ‘Double Engine’ and no words of central deprivation is being raised for over three and half years in Tripura.

Tripura Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party led by union Minister of State (MoS) and West Tripura Lok Sabha MP Pratima Bhoumik, president Prof Dr Manik Saha, vice-president Rajib Bhattacharjee and others had boosted the party organization to such an extent that the stem of tide for development is moving forward in a rapid pace.

In an exclusive interview with Northeast Today, Bhoumik said “Some nuisance makers had arrived in Tripura and people should beware of them. Those outsiders are here to make peace and tranquility prevailing Tripura a graveyard. Due to those outsiders, we feel ashamed and left no space to show our face as ‘Bangali’ (Bengali-spoken people). They are using abusive words and body-language, this is not politics. These outsiders had come to Tripura to blacken the term of ‘Politics’. It is clear that the people of Tripura don’t like such politicians”.

“These outsiders will never be our prime contender, our main opponent is CPIM. It is well said that BJP had won in few urban local bodies uncontested and it is not true because the opposition failed to field their candidates and people are with BJP. Leaving one or two seats in some bodies, BJP will sweep victory in 99 percent of the seats and there is no doubt in that,” she added.

When asked about the post of Mayor, Bhoumik said “This will be decided after results of the urban local bodies are announced. At present, there is no such discussion held in the party’s organization of Tripura”.

MoS further added “After formation of BJP-led government in Tripura, elections of the Municipal Corporation and Councils and Nagar Panchayats are being held for the first time. Our party will form the committees in these bodies in a full-fledged manner”.

“After the formation of full-fledged government in these urban local bodies, various aspects of the Agartala Smart City can be addressed and completed in double speed. Firstly, water-logging problem had been solved within a small span. Thereafter, CCTV cameras were installed, and Integrated Command Control Centre, solid waste management, etc have been introduced. These facilities will be expanded in all the 51 wards of Agartala city with covered drains, good roads, etc in a planned way”, she also added.

Speaking about other towns, she said “For Udaipur, Rs 600 crore has been sanctioned in this financial year. Funding has been allotted from IDBI Bank for development of Sonamura Nagar Panchayat and Melaghar Municipal Council. In all the 20 urban local bodies, facilities like beautification, street lights, children’s park, etc shall be queued with the support of the union ministry of Urban Development. Moreover, developments shall be ensured at all urban bodies after discussing with club members, societies and senior citizens of the specific towns”.

Bhoumik firmly asserted “People are with us and there is no doubt in that. A political party with few Tollywood stars may create sparkle amongst a few denizens of Tripura, but it is for a while. After a span, people will return to their home and that is BJP”.