Even before 24 hours elapsed after formal announcement of alliance between the CPIM and Congress in Tripura, total 154 CPIM supporters severed their ties with the party and joined BJP in Sepahijala District on Saturday (Jan 15).
Erosion in the grass root level organization of the Left Front started sooner than expected as the long-time supporters of the party feel disgusted for forming an alliance with Congress. According to them, they have deserted the CPIM to vent anger against the decision.
Out of the total 154 CPIM activists, 138 quit the party in Bishalgarh and jumped into the saffron camp. In 2018, Assembly Polls, CPIM won from the Bishalgarh and exodus of 138 long-time party supporters just before the election is considered to be major blow for the CPIM, opined local Political analysts.
“Many of the 138 supporters were the backbone of the party who worked hard and ensured party’s victory in elections in the past – apart from 2018, all of them worked the party to defeat the Congress”, said one of the party supporters and added, “We are unable to accept that we have work for the Congress against whom we were locked into fierce fight for many years”.
Condemning the ‘unethical’ alliance, a group 16 long-time CPIM party workers including a President’s award winning teacher who was an ex-Gram Pradhan quit the party to join BJP in Golaghati area under Sepahijala today.
The President award winner teacher, Satyaban Kar lambasted the CPIM leadership for joining hands with the Congress. In a hard hitting reaction, Kar said, the leftists are supposed to fight for the welfare of poor and underprivileged people. Power is not important to work for the people. Now, the leaders have forged alliance with Congress whom the Leftists held responsible for crises of common people for so many decades. “This is unacceptable to us”, Kar said.
Local and ground level leaders in the Bishalgarh and Golaghati areas are reportedly in a state of confusion and a bit unsettled too. Resentment among the grass root workers in the area is palpable and the task of the local leaders would to address the resentment and encourage the party followers to work for the success of the alliance.
Meantime, Congress leaders in Bishalgarh and Golaghati are also in precarious situation and fearing large scale exodus from the party.
Sensing the confusion and resentment, BJP leaders are appealing to disgruntled Congress and CPIM supporters to join the saffron camp.
