Tripura BJP vice-chief, two others join Congress

Agartala, March 19 (IANS) Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, three Tripura BJP leaders, including party Vice-President Subal Bhowmik joined the Congress on Tuesday.

The other two are former Minister Prakash Das and firebrand leader Debashish Sen.

Tripura Congress President Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman and AICC Secretary Bhupen Bora welcomed the three leaders at a media conference.

Bhowmik was holding the Vice President's post in BJP. He joined the saffron party in 2015, while Das and Sen came to the party in 2017 from the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, respectively.

Sen was also the Vice-Chairman of the CPI-M controlled Kailashahar Municipal Council in northern Tripura.

After joining the Congress, Bhowmik told the media that he along with thousands of Congressmen and workers from other parties had joined BJP to give better governance to the people, but the one-year-old the state government has performed very poorly.

"Violating the BJP constitution, Biplab Kumar Deb has been holding two vital posts - Chief Minister and state party President. Deb's ridiculous comments and actions upset people of the state and have damaged the image of the government," the 58-year old leader said.

He said: "I was in Congress for 35 years. Before Deb returned to Tripura in 2016, I led the BJP but I have been humiliated by the newcomers."

Das and Sen said the BJP-led government in Tripura would soon collapse as they have not only forgotten their pre-poll promises but also doing anti-people works.

All India Congress Committee Secretary Bhupen Bora said : "From today (Tuesday) the BJP 'mukt' (free) campaign has been started from Tripura. Despite 10 of the 60 Tripura Assembly seats being reserved for the people belong to Scheduled Castes, there is not a single minister from this community in the ministry."

Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman said the party President Rahul Gandhi will address an election rally in Tripura on Wednesday.

"Rahulji would announce the Congress candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in Tripura tomorrow (Wednesday)," said Debbarman, a Tripura royal scion who was appointed state Congress President less than a month ago.

"More leaders and members from BJP would soon join Congress," the 41-years-old Congress leader said.

The ruling BJP is yet to react to the latest political developments.

Tripura West Lok Sabha seat goes to the polls on April 11 in the first phase of the general elections, and Tripura East on April 18 in the second phase.

The statutory notification for the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat was issued on Monday and the same was issued on Tuesday for the Tripura East seat, reserved for tribals.