Tripura’s opposition BJP and Trinamool Congress, which unexpectedly observed the 13th death anniversary of veteran communist leader Nripen Chakraborty, on Tuesday criticised the ruling CPI-M for “disregarding the legendary Left Leader”.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Tripura President Biplab Kumar Deb, while talking to media, said that the present leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) forgot the role and dedication of former Tripura Chief Minister.

“All the present generation leaders of CPI-M are disciples of Nripen Chakraborty. But they totally forgot his role, dedication and talent towards the growth of CPI-M in Tripura and nurturing the present day leaders,” he said.

Deb and other senior BJP leaders highlighted the inspirational works of Chakraborty to pursue development of the state and people-centric approach of his government.

“Chakraborty was not only a genuine communist in true sense but also set a model for the leftists of the country,” Deb added.

The BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday observed the 13th death anniversary of veteran communist leader, who died on December 25, 2004 in a Kolkata hospital.

Trinamool’s Tripura unit convenor Ashish Lal Singha said that following the direction from party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the death anniversary was befittingly observed on Monday in the party headquarters here.

“CPI-M leaders may forget the immense role and dedication of Nripen Chakraborty towards the development of Tripura, but we can not disregard or overlook him,” he said.

The opposition Congress however condemned the BJP and Trinamool for “doing politics” in the name of Chakraborty ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

“Why the BJP and Trinamool did not observed the death or birth anniversary of Nripen Chakraborty in the previous years? They are trying to capitalise the sentiment of people before the assembly elections,” said party’s state Vice President Tapas Dey.

He also censured the CPI-M for not commemorating the death anniversary.

The CPI-M meanwhile also accused the opposition parties for their “ignorance” about the functioning of the Left party and observance of death or birth anniversaries.

CPI-M Tripura State Secretary and party’s central committee member Bijan Dhar said that except the birth day of Muzaffar Ahmad, who was popularly known as “Kakababu” or few international Communist leaders, the CPI-M do not observe death or birth anniversary of other Indian Marxist leaders on annual basis.

“We observe the centenary of those Indian communist leaders who had crossed 100 years of their birth. Accordingly we have observed the birth centenary of Nripen Chakraborty, Dasaratha Deb and other veteran CPI-M leaders in Tripura,” he said.

Chakraborty was the Chief Minister of first Left Front government in Tripura and governed the state for ten years since 1978. He along with former Chief Minister Dasaratha Deb (1993-1998) and others expanded the Left’s political base in Tripura.