- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala, June 19, 2022: Assam chief minister (CM) Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday squarely castigated the opposition Indian National Congress (INC) party and claimed that the role of this grand old national party is like the ‘banned notes’ which are not accepted anywhere across India.
Addressing an open public rally under 6-Agartala assembly constituency in support of BJP candidate Dr Ashok Sinha, Dr Sarma said “The country had been pushed backward by 75 years for the sins of the Congress party. At present, no one is supporting Congress party. The condition of this old grand party is similar like the banned old currencies by the the Reserve Bank of India. Will anyone give you goods if you go to the market with the banned notes? The answer is no.”
Citing significant waves of development brought by BJP, Dr Sarma said “Tripura had to wait for decades for a Rajdhani Express. Now, the North East is now well connected with the national capital. Due to the negligence of Congress party and the political leaders reluctance, the developmental activities could have been carried out 50 years back.”
Taking a jibe on the Congress party candidate and former Health minister Sudip Roy Barman, NEDA Convenor lamented that though BJP honoured him but he hatched conspiracy to weaken the saffron party.
“This person, who is a Congress nominated candidate for 6-Agartala assembly constituency was given a respectable post and position in the BJP. Many of this saffron party suggested me that this person shouldn’t be brought in the party, but I did not lend my ears to them. He was welcomed and on BJP ticket, he won the elections in 2018 and got a cabinet berth. But, he was working against BJP to weaken the party from day one”, Dr Sarma charged.
Ruling out the possibilities of Congress returning to power, Assam CM asked the crowd, “Have you ever heard of Congress party winning an election in recent past?”
“With huge margin, BJP swept all recent elections of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura. I am appealing all to strengthen the BJP as the Congress failed to retain its strongholds like everytime. BJP will offer a better tomorrow for Tripura people with the support of all, Dr Sarma told the gathering.
However, NEDA Convenor attended both the scheduled events of Agartala. After his public address at Hindi Higher Secondary School, Sarma attended a ‘Padayatra’ in support of BJP CM Dr Manik Saha. The incumbent CM Dr Manik Saha and former CM Biplab Kumar Deb also remained present during both the events.
Earlier in the morning, Dr Sarma, who is also the NEDA convenor received a rousing welcome by Tripura’s ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury and Pradesh BJYM president Nabadal Banik at Maharaja Bir Bikram airport here in Agartala. The former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and incumbent Chief Minister Prof Dr Manik Saha met with him at a city-based private hotel.
He was scheduled to address two public rallies back to back at 46-Surma assembly constituency under Dhalai district and 57-Jubarajnagar assembly constituency under North Tripura district, but failed to attend due to heavy rains since the morning. However, Dr Sarma gave a telephonic message to the Jubarajnagar gathering to win against BJP candidate Malina Debnath by a huge margin.
