Agartala, September 05, 2023: Union minister of state Pratima Bhoumik, who holds the portfolio for Social Justice and Empowerment, made a striking statement on Tuesday, asserting that the Indian National Congress has inflicted greater damage on the country than the erstwhile British colonial rulers.

Addressing the media after casting her vote at Tripura’s Dhanpur assembly constituency in Sepahijala District, Minister Bhoumik emphasized that the corruption indulged in by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had eroded the public’s trust in the Congress party. She stated, “The way the UPA had indulged in corruption, the people will never vote for the Congress. The Congress did more harm to the nation than the British rulers had done.”

Minister Bhoumik also exuded confidence in her party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as she predicted victory in the upcoming by-elections for the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly constituencies in Tripura. She expressed, “We are sure of winning by-elections with huge margins. The electors of Dhanpur blessed me in the February assembly elections (2023) for the first time. This time too, there will be no exception.”

The minister cast her vote at a polling booth located in Barnarayan HS School within the Dhanpur constituency. Notably, Bhoumik had secured the Dhanpur seat as a BJP candidate in the previous assembly elections, which subsequently led to the by-election.

In reference to the Boxanagar assembly constituency, where the by-election was underway, Bhoumik addressed the issue of voter perception. She remarked, “In the last assembly elections, the CPI(M) had misled voters, especially minority ones, but this time, we were able to remove their misconception about the BJP. We are confident of winning the seat this time.”

Shifting focus to India’s recent achievements, Minister Bhoumik emphasized the country’s ascent to global leadership with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. She hailed the lunar mission as a testament to India’s growth and prosperity, stating, “The successful lunar mission is the testimony that the country is moving towards growth and prosperity.”

Minister Bhoumik concluded by lauding the present government’s efforts in creating an environment conducive to transforming India into a global leader. She asserted that the administration had made significant strides across various fronts to achieve this ambitious goal.