The Congress in Tripura is heading for a major split after some veteran leaders expressed their displeasure against the official team of the party and intend to join the Trinamool Congress. Former PCC president and five-time MLA Surajit Datta is leading the revolt with support of disgruntled leaders like Ratan Chakraborty and Jawar Saha.
“Our joining the Trinamool Congress is certain. We are flying to Kolkata for an important meeting with Mamata Banerjee scheduled on September 5,” Mr. Saha, former leader of opposition in the State assembly, told The Hindu on Monday. He had earlier held talks with Trinamool national general secretary Mukul Roy on this issue.
The discontented leaders have been travelling across the State to garner the support of Congress workers and the people ahead of switching over to a new party. They have been asking the people to ready for serious political development for sake of paribartan [change] in Tripura where the CPI(M)-led left front has been in power since 1978 except a break between 1988 and 1993.
Incumbent PCC president Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl, working president Asish Saha and leader of opposition Sudip Roy Burman are trying to downplay the issue. “We don’t see any breach of party discipline anywhere. The party faces no threat,” the working president claimed.
Mr. Roy Burman, who managed to secure the position of leader of opposition after resigning as PCC president following party’s debacle in the February 14 Assembly elections, has been in the centre of storm in the party. Former MLA Subal Bhowmik, who lost to a CPI(M) nominee at Sonamura constituency in West Tripura, floated the Tripura Pragatishil Gramin Congress some months back, alleging ‘in-house sabotage’ in the Assembly poll.
Mr. Datta, who was defeated for the first time in 25 years from his Ramnagar segment in Agartala by a meager 65 votes, too felt that he was victim of a conspiracy hatched out by the Burman camp. Ratan Chakraborty stayed away from party affairs after his candidature from Majlishpur constituency near Agartala was suddenly changed with a NSUI leader.
Mr. Datta, Mr. Chakraborty and Mr. Saha were cabinet ministers in the Congress–TUJS coalition government that assumed office in 1988, and have a substantial following in the Congress party. The Trinamool Congress, which stayed away from contesting Assembly elections, is eyeing Tripura to take on the CPI(M).
“Our formal joining will take place after talks with Mamata Banerjee. Thousands of Congress supporters will join the Trinamool Congress alongside us,”, Mr. Saha stated.
