New Delhi: After edging out the Left and the Congress in West Bengal civic polls, the BJP has stepped up its consolidation in the East. With Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur already in its kitty, the party has set its sights on Tripura that has been ruled by the Left for more than two decades.
Assembly elections in Tripura are scheduled early next year and the saffron party’s strategists are busy implementing party chief Amit Shah’s blueprint to end the Left reign.
On Saturday, the BJP invoked Tripura’s last ruler of the erstwhile princely state, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, on his 110th birth anniversary to reach out to the electorate.
During events organised in 3,000 polling station areas, BJP leaders hailed the late Maharaja’s vision and development initiatives.
Tripura BJP is feeling energised after six sacked Trinamul Congress MLAs joined the party early this month. They were penalised by their party for supporting the NDA presidential nominee.
To woo voters, the BJP state unit has demanded that the late Maharaja should be awarded the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
BJP leaders have also sought the renaming of Agartala airport as Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport”. The construction of a 184-feet statue of the last king of has also been suggested.
In the recent West Bengal civic polls, the BJP was the second largest party bagging six out of the 148 wards. The Left and the Congress failed to win even a single ward.
