July 9, 2017: Pushing Trinamool Congress (TMC) party in Tripura to brink of extinction, six suspended TMC MLAs are all set to join saffron Party by the end of the month. Speaking to media after returning from Guwahati where these MLAs extended support to NDA Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovin, former president of State TMC Asish Saha at Agartala said today, “we will meet Amit Shah on July 23 or July 24 in New Delhi and formalize the joining procedures as well as finalize the date. It is expected that all the six MLAs will formally join BJP by July 25-26”.
He said, as per preliminary schedule, Assam Finance Minister Himant Biswa Sharma and All India BJP general secretary Ram Madhav are likely to attend the joining programme in New Delhi. Party sources said, few other close aides of six MLAs may also join BJP in July 25-26.
On place of joining, Asish Saha said, BJP leadership is keen to hold joining programme in New Delhi, however, we will try to convince the BJP leadership for formally joining the saffron party at Agartala. If joining takes place in Agartala, we will join the BJP along with 10-15 thousand supporters and it will be a mega programme.
“We will inform Amit Shah and BJP leaders that around 10-15 thousand supporters will join along with us, if the joining programme is held in Agartala”, Saha commented.
On BJP’s chances of winning in ensuing Assembly Polls, Asish Saha was not appeared to be much optimistic because of tribal votes. He said, IPFT and INPT have strong presence in the hill areas and unless tribal votes could be consolidated in favour of BJP, it would be difficult to wrest power from Leftists. He said, almost 60 per cent of tribals are Christian and it will be interesting to see how BJP chalk out strategy to woo these voters.
“In Tripura, communalism or for that matter Hindu-Muslim issue is not a major factor and muslims who are supporting us, will remain with us even if we switch over to BJP”, Saha asserted.
Meanwhile, Asish Saha has asked the local TMC leaders to remove portrait of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and symbol of TMC from the Trinamool Bhavan within Monday. Sources said, Dulal Das and other TMC leaders have removed the portrait and symbol today and are searching a new office for Trinamool Congress in Agartala.
