Four-time Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been the face of the Left Front in Tripura, a Communist bastion for 25 years. The Left Front government under Mr. Sarkar has been a formidable force, gaining inch after inch of the State to bag 47-50 Assembly seats out of a maximum 60 in the elections since 1993. Seeking his seventh electoral victory since 1981 (by-poll) — fifth from Dhanpur seat — he is believed to have had an easy electoral run until the BJP burst onto the scene ahead of Mandate 2018. Excerpts from an interview:
Why do you think the Left Front can win its sixth successive election?
Our government has been able to combat the extremist onslaught, brought back peace and tranquillity and strengthened integrity, on the basis of which the State has seen development that has ensured qualitative change in the standard of life of common people in Tripura.
How relevant is Marxism at a time when much of the world is taking a rightist or fundamentalist?
It is very, very relevant. There is a new wave of struggle among the working class, peasants and youth bursting out, and that’s why they [Sangh Parivar] are facing problems. We have not seen such a reactionary government [at the Centre] since Independence. They have targeted Marxism, communism, leftism... We feel proud we have been able to develop ideological, political and programmatic resistance against this anti-people, anti-poor, pro-rich, pro-corporate political party ruling our country. That’s why they are worried and targeting us.
But isn’t there a perception that the Left Front is worried because it is facing a strong opposition after an easy run since 1993?
We are not worried at all. They are. That’s why the Prime Minister has brought his Cabinet colleagues, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States, frontal leaders at the national level, working here for two years. Despite all these, they are worried. The Left Front government may be very small, but it is able to show the alternative path to the struggling people of the country. To face the people of this small State, they have been mobilising money, muscle and media power under the leadership of Prime Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister and others.
The PM has said the Left Front has struck a poll deal with the Congress to keep the BJP out...
Have you seen any signs of our deal [with the Congress]? They are saying this because they have an alliance with IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Twipra), which was created by NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) extremists. The present government at the Centre has continued with declaring NLFT unlawful. NLFT demands Tripura’s independence and ouster of so-called foreigners.
More than three months ago, NLFT declared support for IPFT. So BJP, which claims to be a nationalist party and defender of the country’s integrity, unity, sovereignty, has aligned with the separatist NLFT through the IPFT. That’s why the BJP is not in a position to answer questions from the people, and diverting attention by saying the CPI(M) and the Congress have made adjustment.
The BJP has accused you of corruption when audits say Tripura has been among the better performing States in Central beneficiary schemes.
The country has a Prime Minister who acts as a party leader. What can you expect from his party other than a below-standard approach? Actually, he has been trying his level best to mislead the people of Tripura on the basis of falsehoods. The people will give a befitting answer on February 18 (polling day), and he will understand this on March 3 (result day).
