Tripura is faced with the “triple trouble” of the Congress, CPI(M) and Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha in the ensuing assembly elections and only a “double engine” government can protect the state, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.
Shah also hit out at the Congress-Left alliance, and asserted that only the “jodi” (pair) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Manik Saha can make Tripura a prosperous state.
The Union minister made the remarks while addressing a ‘Vijaya Sankalp’ rally at Chandipur in Unakoti district. Elections for the 60-member assembly are scheduled to be held on February 16 and counting of votes will take place on March 2.
“There is a triple trouble gathbandhan (alliance) in the state – the Communist, Congress and TIPRA Motha. If you want to get rid of the triple trouble, then you need to bring in a double engine government,” Shah told the crowd.
To be sure, the Left and Congress have decided to fight the upcoming elections together. The TIPRA Motha, headed by Tripura royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, announced to contest the polls alone after its meeting with Shah over its demand for Greater Tipraland – a separate state for the indigenous people – turned futile.
Shah alleged that the Left, which betrayed tribals for long in the state, is now projecting a tribal leader as a chief ministerial face to “deceive” people.
“Development came to Tripura in the last five years. The state moved forward in terms of development, first under the leadership of Biplab Kumar Deb and then Manik Saha. Despite staying in power for so many years, the communists did nothing for the welfare of the tribals. Now, they have brought a tribal chief ministerial face to deceive people. They don’t know that they will not get the tribal votes this way,” he said.
Shah did not name the tribal chief ministerial face of the Left Front. The Left Front has not projected any chief ministerial face for the polls so far.
The former BJP president hit out at the Congress and Left, saying: “You have seen the Congress and CPM regime that ruled for 27 years. They did no development for any section of people, including tribals. Development happened in the state in five years after the BJP came to power.”
He said the coming together of the Congress and Left was an indication they have conceded defeat to the BJP in the elections.
“The Congress went with the Communists who killed many of their supporters. They should be ashamed. All of them are the same. They want to do corruption. They don’t want development. If you want development, then make BJP win. We brought peace here in five years. We shall make Tripura a developed state following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s HIRA (highways, internet ways, railways and airways) formula,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi had promised to implement the HIRA model in the run up to the 2018 Tripura elections.
At another rally, in Sepahijala, Shah said the “jodi” of Prime Minister Modi and chief minister Manik Saha will make Tripura a prosperous state.
“People of Tripura have seen the bad governance of Communists, witnessed corrupted governance during Congress time, and have suffered violence,” he said.
“On the other hand, the BJP has worked to usher Tripura on the path of development within five years,” he added, stressing that the “jodi” of PM Modi and Saha will make Tripura a prosperous state.
HT reached out to CPM and TIPRA Motha leaders for a comment but did not get one immediately.