All eyes were focused on the star-studded nomination-filling events on Thursday for the by-polls in Dhanpur and Boxanagar Assembly Constituencies in Tripura followed by a public meeting in which Chief Minister addressed the enthusiastic saffron supporters.
Meantime, top leaders of the BJP silently made a move that stirred speculations and curiosity among the political pundits. The BJP leaders of Tripua paid a ‘courtesy visit’ to Congress leader and former Minister Billal Mia in Sonamura today.
Union MoS Pratima Bhoumik accompanied by State Power Department Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Animal Resource Development Sudhangshu Das, BJP State Secretary Papia Dutta, and BJP’s Kailashahar leader Mabaswar Ali went to meet Billal Mia in a ‘courtesy visit’ at his residence.
Billal Mia is not just an influential Muslim leader in the Sonamura sub-division, he is also the vice president of the Tripura Pradesh Congress.
The unexpected courtesy visit from top BJP leaders to the home of a Congress leader comes at a time when serious dissatisfaction is brewing among Congress supporters in the Sonamura sub-division. This discontent arises from the decision of Pradesh Congress leaders to abstain from contesting the upcoming by-elections, instead throwing their support behind the CPIM candidate.
Within the local Congress leadership, a faction advocated for the party to, at least, contest in the Boxanagar seat. Notably, Congress did not contest in any of the seats under the sub-division after it forged a seat adjustment deal with the CPIM leaving Billal Mia like leaders away from contesting polls.
“The perspective of the 2023 Assembly Polls was different. There was a hope that Congress-CPIM would be able to defeat BJP. But that did not happen. Moreover, nothing relating to government formation would depend on the outcomes of by-polls as BJP already has a comfortable majority”, Opined a local Congress leader.
He argued Congress could field Billal Mia from Boxanagar where a sizeable population is Muslim. Even if Mia would fail, local grass root level activists and supporters could be regrouped which would help to rejuvenate the almost ruined Congress organization in the sub-division, the Congress activist commented on condition of anonymity.
However, the Pradesh leaders held a divergent viewpoint, resulting in the Congress party opting out of the electoral race and pledging support to CPIM – a party it has historically clashed with for decades.
Given the evident dissatisfaction among supporters and recognizing Billal Mia’s popularity within the Muslim community, especially in Boxanagar and other Muslim-dominated regions of the sub-division, the visit by influential BJP figures carries substantial political implications, as pointed out by several political analysts.
Nonetheless, both BJP leaders and Billal Mia refrained from divulging any details about their discussions during the meeting. They said the interaction was part of a mere courtesy visit.
However, speculations are running high as BJP and CPIM are gearing up for a fierce battle which the supporters of the grand old party will witness sitting in the gallery – will they clap for CPIM as per the State leaders’ decision?