• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, June 07, 2022 : All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Tuesday appealed the electorates to wipe away ‘Bike Bahini’ (motorcycle force) backed by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura ensuring victory of TMC candidates in the scheduled by-election on June 23 next.

While speaking to reporters here at Agartala Press Club on Tuesday afternoon, MP Dev said “Even though it is a by-election and BJP-led government is in power. In a democratic country, the power that lies in the hands of the common masses, that is very significant. All the candidates of Trinamool Congress who were nominated for these four assembly constituencies are transparent, qualified, educated and brave.”

“The manner in which the Urban Local Bodies election took place in Tripura, candidates were threatened, failed to come out of their homes and were stopped to exercise their franchise. All our candidates have the courage. Let it be BJP’s ‘Bike Bahini’ or any kind of negligence is found from the end of administration, these candidates will fight on every situation”, she added.

Citing a change on the ruling party’s situation in Tripura, AITC Rajya Sabha MP also said “After the elections of Urban Local Bodies across the state, when former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb landed at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, the way ‘Bike Bahini’ welcomed him. The by-election is a golden opportunity to stop or wipe away the culture of ‘Bike Bahini’ completely from Tripura.”

On behalf of the TMC candidates and party led by its supremo Mamata Banerjee, Dev appealed to the electorates to support their candidates in this by-election. “The people were looking for a change after the 2018 election, I want, let this change begin from this by-election”, she also added.

Besides, AITC leader and Tripura in-charge Rajib Banerjee on Tuesday officially introduced the candidates contesting in the scheduled by-election of four assembly constituencies.

The candidates are- Panna Deb from 6-Agartala seat, Sanhita Banerjee from 8-Town Bardowali seat, Arjun Namasudra from 46-Surma (SC-reserved) seat and Dr Mrinal Kanti Debnath from 57-Yubarajnagar seat.

Speaking to reporters here at Agartala Press Club on Tuesday afternoon, Banerjee said “Under BJP-led government’s regime, the entire healthcare facilities had collapsed, teachers and students ratio is not maintained, lack of proper infrastructures, environment has been polluted, problem in supplying safe drinking water, trouble in providing electricity services, etc. Not only this, the entire state administration has crumbled with the removal of former CM Biplab Kumar Deb. However, the new CM Dr Manik Saha also failed to show any newness in the state administration so far.”

Taking a jibe on other opposition political parties in Tripura, AITC leader and Tripura in-charge castigated the role of Congress party. He said “This national party never opposed the activities of the ruling party in Tripura rather became a mute spectator. The Congress party had become weak in the state. Besides, this party had grabbed only 2 percent votes in the last assembly election of 2018. People have no hope with this political party.”

“In Tripura, Trinamool Congress is the lone alternative who stands by the side of common people and is fighting for their rights. There is an abundance of opportunities to forward the state in different spheres and TMC is determined to achieve this in the state. We believe in our supremo Mamata Banerjee. We look at her in our candidates. People have faith in us and our candidates will achieve victory in the coming elections”, Banerjee told reporters.

Later, speaking to reporters, Tripura Pradesh TMC president Subal Bhowmik anticipated that the by-election is going to be a complete farce under the regime of isolated ruling BJP. “Our hope is that the Election authority will not play an impartial role and by-polls will be free and fair”, he added.