The Trinamool Congress is sending a high-level party delegation to Tripura after alleged confinement of its survey team at a hotel here. Senior Cabinet Ministers of West Bengal Moloy Ghatak and Bratya Basu, and party’s labour organisation leader Ritabrata Banerjee will make up the team.
The police are allegedly not allowing 23 employees of the I-Pac of election strategist Prashant Kishor from going out of their hotel citing COVID-19 linked restrictions. West Tripura SP Manik Das claimed that the police found a large number of people during a routine check at a city hotel and advised them not to move out till their RT-PCR tests were conducted and reports made available.
Mr. Das refuted that the I-Pac team was confined and prevented from travelling. He said they were only complying with the restrictions imposed to check spread of coronavirus.
The 23 employees of the I-Pac arrived here on Wednesday last to explore the prospects for the Trinamool Congress in the State ruled by the BJP-led coalition government. They travelled across the State before the police intervened.
Elections to the Assembly are slated for early 2023.
‘Police action motivated’
The Trinamool leadership termed the police action motivated and an act of political vengeance.
Former Chief Minister and CPI(M) Politburo member Manik Sarkar on Tuesday condemned the alleged harassment of I-Pac members.
One of the employees told newsmen at the hotel lobby that they received instruction from their superiors to leave Tripura on Wednesday.
State BJP leaders have pleaded ignorance in the issue.
