CPI(M), Congress contesting jointly in Tripura to save their existence: Nadda

Mocking at the CPI(M) and the Congress for contesting the Tripura Assembly elections jointly, BJP national president J P Nadda on Friday claimed that they have come together not for the state’s development but to save their existence.

For the first time in the northeastern state, the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ran the government in Tripura for 25 years till 2018, and the Congress entered into a seat-sharing deal to contest the poll for the 60-member assembly.

The CPI(M) will contest in 43 seats while Left Front constituents Forward Block, RSP and CPI will fight in one constituency each. While the Congress will contest in 13 seats, the Left Front is supporting an independent candidate in the Ramnagar constituency.

“Our opponents came together not for the development of the country or the state but to save their existence. Two separate entities have now become one,” Nadda said while addressing an election rally at Amarpur in Gomati district.

He said the BJP-led government has done tremendous work for the overall development and improving law and order in the past five years.

The northeastern state used to witness insurgency, violence and road blockades before the 2018 Assembly elections, but the ‘double engine’ government ensured peace after signing an agreement with the outlawed insurgent group National Liberation Front of Tripura in 2019, he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Mod-ji has settled 37,000 Bru refugees by spending Rs 600 crore ending a long fiasco. The BJP wants development to the state’s full potential. The Agartala-Akhaura railway project will boost the state’s trade and business,” he said.

Listing the welfare schemes of the government, the BJP president claimed that the saffron party has changed the face and fortune of the northeastern state, which is marching towards an all-round development.

“The people of the state have already decided to vote for the BJP in the coming elections to ensure that the double engine continues to run the state towards more development,” he said at the election rally.

The assembly polls will be held in the state on February 16. Votes will be counted on March 2.