Three Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders – West Bengal Law Minister Maloy Ghatak, Education Minister, WB, Bratya Basu and TMC trader Union leader Ritabrata Banerjee have arrived in Agartala on Wednesday. According to the TMC State president, Ashish Sinha, the leaders have come to Tripura in a 3-day visit over the issue of holding back the I-PAC team in a hotel in Agartala and to hold organizational meetings.
Meanwhile, condemning the ‘detention’ of I-PAC team in Agartala, the North Tripura District unit of TMC brought out a protest rally. Police arrested the activists.
The issue of holding back the 23-member I-PAC team in an Agartala based Hotel by the administration has provided the almost non-existing TMC in State to launch its political campaign for upcoming 2023 State Assembly polls.
The I-PAC is a consultancy firm of poll strategist Prashant Kishore who played a crucial role in ensuring a poll victory for TMC in Bengal during last hard fought Assembly polls. According to the administration, the team was asked to stay back at the hotel and not to venture out due to Covid protocols.
However, the issue became a major talking point both at the State and National levels. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and other leaders condemned the BJP-led Tripura Government. According to TMC sources, “The three leaders arrived in Tripura to express solidarity with the I-PAC team”.
Later, three TMC leaders of Bengal held a press conference in Agartala Press Club. Condemning ‘detention’ of I-PAC team, Bratya Basu termed the action of the BJP-led Government as ‘autocratic’ and ‘undemocratic’. He said, I-PAC teams are working in several other States like Tamilnadu and Punjab, but no where such an incident happened.
Basu also said, with CPM is fast waning force and resentment against BJP is rising in Tripura, Trinamool Congress is the only viable alternative and people of the State have started to understand this reality.
Speaking on the occasion, Maloy Ghatak also hammered the BJP-led Government for its action against the I-PAC team. Echoing Basu’s statement, Ghatak also said, such ‘autocratic’ steps will not be helpful for BJP to stop Mamata Banerjee-led TMC to flourish in the State. Trade Union leader Ritabrata Banerjee also spoke on the issue in detail.
However, the leaders denied speaking about the leaders who quit the party before the 2018 Assembly polls in Tripura.
