Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said only the “double-engine government” can usher more development in future in Tripura and urged the people of the state to vote back the Bharatiya Janata Party to power if they wanted “guaranteed growth peace and prosperity”. Modi also launched a scathing attack on the Left-Congress alliance in the assembly election-bound state saying they are “wrestling in Kerala and allying in Tripura”.
“People of Tripura are witnessing development. No household has been left in the state for whom the BJP has not done anything. That’s why people have shown the red card to the ‘chanda’ (donation) and ‘jhanda (flag) wala’ government. They need Sabka Sath Sabka Bikas government,” said Modi at an election rally in Agartala’s Swami Vivekananda stadium.
Lashing out at the Left and Congress regimes in the past, Modi said they cannot do any development for the state except for filling their treasury chest leaving people in poverty. He further added that the centrally sanctioned funds would be utilised for the development of the people only if the saffron party formed the government for the second term.
“They will destroy Tripura. I appeal to you to vote for the BJP for the development of the state and secure the future of the children. Tripura ko chahiye double-engine ka sarkar ( Tripura needs a double-engine government),” said Modi.
He added that the state was pushed backward in terms of development when they were in power earlier while the BJP brought back the state on the track of speedy development.
“When our government will form after February 16, construction works of houses will progress. We have allocated ₹80,000 crore in the central budget for making homes for poor families. We have provided water connections to four lakh families, LPG cylinders, Aayushman cards and others to you,” he said.
“People wanted an environment free from fear and violence. They wanted a society where the poor are given due respect. And with this inspiration, we got to serve for people of Tripura. Peace and development started prevailing only due to the BJP,” the PM said.
Reacting to it, CPI-M state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said, “Did the PM say anything in his speech? It’s really unfortunate that his speech sounded like a party leader and not a PM.”
Addressing Congress supporters, Modi said many of their activists were attacked by the CPI-M.
“The old voters and activists of the Congress were disturbed by the CPM. Will you forget that? You have to save yourself from them. Only the BJP is a guarantee to development. We believe in the politics of badlav (change) and not the politics of badla (revenge). We are confident to win with majority votes than the previous year,” he said in this third rally in Tripura.
On February 11, Modi addressed two rallies at Kulai in Dhalai district and Udaipur in Gomati district where he also urged people to vote for “double-engine” government without shifting votes to opposition parties like CPI-M, Congress and TIPRA Motha.
The BJP formed the government in 2018 in alliance with the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) after toppling the Marxist government that ruled the state for over two decades.
The saffron party retained its ally for February 16 poll and fielded candidates in 55 seats leaving five to the IPFT. The Left and Congress will contest together in the 47:13 seat-sharing formula.
The TIPRA Motha, floated by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, will contest in 42 seats alone, while the Trinamool Congress will contest on 28 seats.
Votes will be counted on March 2.