No chance of alliance with TMC, CPI-M in Tripura assembly poll : Congress

AICC member in-charge of Tripura Ajay Kumar said there is no chance of the party forging any alliance with either Trinamool Congress or CPI-M in the state assembly election due in early 2023.

AICC member in-charge of Tripura, Ajay Kumar Wednesday said there is no chance of the party forging any alliance with either Trinamool Congress or CPI-M in the state assembly election due in early 2023.

He, however, kept doors open for alliance with Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma-led TIPRA Motha, which recently swept to power in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

He expressed confidence that Congress will capture power in the state in the next assembly election.

"People of Tripuira want to bring back Congress to power for good governance,".Kumar told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Bhawan.

"There will be no alliance with TMC and no alliance with the communists. No chance," he said.

On the party's understanding with the state outfit, he said Congress and TIPRA Motha have a lot of similarities in their agendas like empowerment of tribals and autonomy. But we have not opened any dialogue with that party".

Asked if Congress will support TIPRA Motha's call for 'Greater Tipraland', Kumar said Congress shares the agenda of fighting for the rights of tribals and the poor but it will not support any party on contentious issues like changing the demarcation of states' borders.

"Demarcation of borders is a national issue ... We don't believe in any kind of change in states' borders. It has to happen after discussions by all stakeholders. I don't think we shall be ever discussing such changes", he said.

Asked about the resignation of the Tripura Congress president Pijush Kanti Biswas in August to protest against lack of desired support and cooperation from the state party leaders, he said Biswas had withdrawn his resignation the same day. Unity and cooperation is essential to make any party stronger. We have taken efforts to make a strong organization.

He alleged that promises made by BJP before the 2018 state election were not implemented and a strong anti-incumbency was prevailing in the state.

Kumar also alleged that law and order had collapsed in the state and the unemployment problem was acute.

Former chief minister Manik Sarkar, Pijush Kanti Biswas and former state Congress chief Birajit Sinha were attacked by the supporters and activists of BJP, he added.