TMC will form the next govt in Tripura: Mamata

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will be visiting Tripura on August 9 to strengthen the party in the north east state, where it has emerged as the main opposition party. “I will visit Tripura on August 9. In coming days we will form the next government in Tripura,” she told TMC’s Martyrs Day rally here. In a setback to Opposition Congress in Tripura, its six dissident MLAs had joined TMC last month making it the main Opposition party in the Left-ruled state. Sudip Ray Barman, who led the Congress dissidents, too was present at the rally.

“We will follow the ideals of Mamata Banerjee to oust the Left regime of Tripura. We are confident that we will be able to do so in the next Assembly polls. People in Tripura are fed up with the Left rule there. The Left Front in Tripura will have the same fate as the Left Front in West Bengal faced in 2011,” he said.

Burman, the former leader of opposition, had been elected leader of the TMC legislature group. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today cautioned Trinamool Congress party workers to stay away from greed and corruption as these adversely affect the image of the party.

“The biggest work of a political worker is to attain credibility of masses. If you don’t have credibility as an individual you don’t have the right to be in politics,” she told her party’s Martyrs’ Day rally here.

“For me the true party worker is that person who carries the party flag and says Trinamool Congress Zindabad. People keep a close watch on what a party worker does in their respective booth areas,” she said. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya from Bishnupur assembly constituency and CPI(M) MLA Dipali Biswas from Gajole joined TMC at the rally. Councillors of several other municipalities too joined TMC.

Banerjee said the whole party is blamed for the wrong deeds of few people and cautioned a section of party workers to stay away from infighting.

“There may be 400 blocks and out of that party workers of two blocks may be tainted. But for these two blocks the entire 398 blocks can’t be blamed. I would request you all to lead a simple life. If you try to lead an extraordinary life, you tend to fall in the trap of greed and corruption. You all should stay away from it,”  she said.

“You should stay away from infighting and quarrelling. Instead of serving your own interests you should serve the interests of the party. All of you have to follow the guidelines of the party. I will not allow any kind of work which goes against the people,” she said.

Banerjee’s comment comes in the backdrop of the arrest of a TMC councillor of Salt Lake earlier this month on charges of extortion and for being involved in the business of syndicate.

Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee told the rally “Those who deviate from party line should stay away.”