AGARTALA, April 6 – A senior Schedule Caste leader and PCC general secretary Jitendra Das joined the CPM after severing his 35 years tie with the Congress. Das joined the CPM in a public rally Sunday held at Khayerpur near Agartala in presence of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. Das who started his political career as SFI (CPM’s student wing) leader in early sixties joined the Congress during the time of former Chief Minister Sukhamoy Sengupta. Considered an efficient organizer and an honest politician he however did not get expected recognition from the party. He was neither given the party ticket for assembly polls nor his views were taken seriously. The resentment was brewing for the last few years, which only culminated Sunday when he extended his name to his former student life comrades – Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Industries Minister Pabitra Kar.
“Congress has been doomed due to poor leadership and irresponsible political behaviours. For example during the last assembly elections I and my followers strongly opposed the Congress alliance with the INPT which is alleged to have links with militant organization NLFT. But the present leadership ignored us. Now what happened? The INPT left Congress and joined the BJP led NDA”, Das said.
“Even you see as a general secretary I even did not know who actually was Nirmalya Banerjee. But despite strong opposition from various corners and senior party leadership this man from Shillong was given the nomination for MP election from West seat. And for this the present PCC leadership denied ticket to senior Congress leaders”, rued Das. He maintained that many more ‘honest and serious politicians’ from Congress would join the CPM for betterment of the state.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar who said that 330 families from Moharcherra in West district recently joined the ruling party supported Das’ claim. Ironically, PCC general secretary’s joining the CPM, caught the Congress leaders of the state virtually unaware.
“Can you imagine the magnitude of the lackadaisical attitude of Congress in Tripura. A leader like Jitendra Das was going to join CPM before the elections and no Congress leaders knew it. They only came to know when a local newspaper reported the move Sunday morning. They then rushed to Jitendra but then it was too late”, resented a senior PCC members. He pointed out that if the present state of affairs continued then the main opposition Congress would face the 1978 fiasco.