Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will address a huge rally in Agartala, Tripura on 31 October after the bypoll in four Assembly segments in West Bengal are concluded.

Party sources said that Banerjee will finalise the candidates’ list who will be participating in the upcoming municipal and civic body elections in Tripura. Tripura steering committee members held a high-level meeting today to select candidates for upcoming municipal elections.

The Left Front in Tripura has already declared the names of the candidates for 20 municipal bodies and Agartala Municipal Corporation. Sushmita Deb, in-charge of Tripura TMC, said that BJP is the most “undemocratic” party and prior to Banerjee’s visit in Tripura, chief minister Biplab Deb’s government
has imposed section 144.

She said, “We are astonished that though we handed the video footage names to DIG and filed an FIR, police in Tripura are so inactive that they did not bother to arrest the culprits.” Meanwhile, after its first steering committee’s meeting,
Tripura TMC has decided that prior to municipal poll, it will reach out to the people of Tripura in every municipality with a message that TMC will work for the people of Tripura.

Deb said that the Tripura government has imposed section 144 to prevent the Opposition from holding rallies. “In our first steering committee’s meeting, we have decided instead of people joining us in a rally, we the members of steering committee and youth committee will reach out to the people of Tripura for a period of 12 days starting from today 21 October to 31 October in all eight districts, 60 Assembly constituencies, 58 blocks and 20 municipal bodies.”

“Our main aim is to reach out to the people, we will explain the different development schemes of Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal.” Starting their door-to-door campaign, Sushmita Deb was attacked and injured allegedly by BJP goons. Asishlal Singh, Tripura TMC state president told The Statesman that 52 wards of Agartala Municipal Corporation along with other municipalities will go to poll in December. He is sanguine of winning the municipality board.

Party sources said, “Mr Banerjee held virtual meeting with the party leaders in Tripura at least for two hours and reportedly asked the leaders to increase public contact and go for door-to-door campaign.” He reportedly assigned three leaders Ashishlal Singh, Susmita Deb and Subal Bhowmik along with 21 steering committee members and 11 youth members in-charge of all eight districts of Tripura.

While Singh will campaign in North Tripura,Khowai Dhalai, Unakoti and, Deb will campaign in West Tripura and for two days in Shipahijela. Subal Bhowmik, the state coordinator will be campaigning in South Tripura, Gomti and Shipahijela.

Today, about 438  BJP and Congress party workers joined Trinamul Congress at Ambassa, said Singh. Yesterday, Adi BJP Janajati leader Parikshit Burman joined TMC in presence of Sushmita Deb and Kunal Ghosh, party’s state general secretary and spokesperson. Ghosh said, “with joining of Burman, Adi BJP in Tripura comes to an end.” Burman alleged that at present in BJP there is no democracy.

Tripura state coordinator Subal Bhaumik lashed out at Biplab Deb’s government stating BJP is on a sticky wicket in Tripura and losing impetus as cadres both from CPIM and BJP are joining TMC. He said, “In order to divert attention from the soaring fuel prices, BJP has unleashed terror.”