Agartala, May 26 (IANS) Two-and-half-month-old BJP-IPFT government's performance is better than 25-year-old Left Front government's, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said here on Saturday promising to declare Tripura a corruption and drug-free state.
"We challenge the Left leaders in Tripura for an open debate. BJP-IPFT's two-and-half-month-old government's performance is much better than the 25-year-old Left Front government," Deb told the media while highlighting the performance of four-year-old Narendra Modi government.
He said: "You are seeing just the beginning. We would make all-out efforts to make Tripura a corruption and drug-free state. Ganja cultivation had been going on during the Left Front rule even in the constituency of former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar."
To a question, Deb, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had been demolishing various political parties' offices built illegally on the government land.
"I respect Manik Da (former CM Manik Sarkar). But how is he opposing the government's move to demolish the party offices constructed on government lands? We would not compromise with illegal activities. Several government employees and policemen were suspended recently for wrong-doings."
In the February 18 politically significant assembly poll, the BJP and its electoral ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal-based party, together won 44 seats with the BJP alone getting 36 seats, handing a crushing defeat to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front.
Highlighting the Modi government's performance, the Chief Minister said that in the past four years, the Central government has given Rs 7,270 crore to Tripura only for eight departments including rural and urban development, social welfare and water supply.
"After the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, broad-gauge railway line was extended up to Agartala, many express trains including Rajdhani were introduced in the state, six National Highways were sanctioned, two 'Border Haats' were set up along the state's border with Bangladesh, and new road and rail links are being set up between India and Bangladesh," he said.
Deb, who is also president of the BJP state unit, said for extension of railway lines in the Northeast, the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government is spending Rs 89,000 crore.
"For poor and women, the NDA government is the finest government in India. The BJP does not believe in casteism and divisional politics. Modiji's mantra is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (Support of all, development for all)," the Chief Minister said.
He also ridiculed the Congress observing of "Vishwasghat Diwas" (betrayal day) on Saturday on the 4th anniversary of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.
