The Trinamool Congress sees the detention of the 23-member team of it’s political advisory firm, I-PAC, as an opportunity to build their presence in Tripura, party leaders said.
The I-PAC team, which reached the State on July 20, was detained on Tuesday and later booked under Section 188 of IPC (disobedience to order promulgated by the public servant) for allegedly flouting COVID-19 restrictions.
The party so far has been an insignificant force in the State, except for 2016, when six Congress MLAs joined the TMC making it the lead opposition party. But this was only a blip. Currently, the party’s State unit is dysfunctional. In 2018, the BJP won 36 seats and the IPFT won 8, while the CPI(M)’s tally was reduced to 16 and the Congress and the TMC drew a blank. The next Assembly polls are due in 2023.
“This is an opportunity gifted directly by Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura CM). By making noise about the I-PAC team, he is indirectly conceding that we are a force to reckon with,” a senior TMC leader said.
After their third consecutive victory in West Bengal, the TMC is now keen to expand its footprint to give it a greater national presence. “We will go in for a win or to be the lead opposition. We are no longer in the game to be a minor player,” top TMC leader said.
TMC MPs Derek O’ Brien and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar are already in Agartala. Party General secretary Abhishek Banerjee will also be reaching on Friday. The party is also exploring possible alliance partners in the State which will be critical for its survival.
