Tripura assembly elections 2023: The Bhartiya Janata Party is a cow-belt party and only has its influence in the Hindi-belt. This was the common notion, even after the 2014 Modi-Shah juggernaut went on to win over state after state. What convinced the political experts that BJP is for all and is loved by all, was the saffronisation of north-east especially Tripura.
Tripura assembly elections 2023: The saffronisation of North East
For most of the years in independent India, the North-Eastern part was not considered to be a part of mainstream India. Perennial insurgency and poor transport network had made it segregated from mainland India. What added to it was Congress’ apathy and step motherly treatment with these states. However, the Modi government has reversed the dynamics.
The BJP has treated north east as a bloc and this allowed it to sweep 18 out of 24 seats in the 2019 general elections. The same formula was applied at the time of assembly elections. Treating the entire region as a bloc, the BJP went one state at a time.
The fall of Left
The north-eastern state of Tripura has been a Left’s bastion and was ruled by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for straight four terms. It was in the last assembly election that the Bhartiya Janata Party stormed to power decimating Left’s fortress. BJP won 35 out of 59 seats and its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) won eight pushing dethroning the Left’s pawn Manik Sarkar. Currently, NDA has 39 members in the assembly, Congress has one and CPI(M) had 15 and five seats are vacant.
Be it from development to foreign policy, with chief minister Biplab Deb at the helm of affairs, Tripura became the centre’s ally.
However, in an abrupt move, the Bhartiya Janata Party replaced Biplab Deb with Manik Saha as the CM of Tripura. With Tripura assembly elections 2023 just months away the move was appreciated as this has help BJP garner support in many states, examples being Uttarakhand and Gujarat. Change of Guard has helped BJP counter anti-incumbency.
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BJP all set to return
On January 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off Jana Vishwas Yatra. Besides these, two Rath Yatras are also going on in the state. With the 200 rallies and more than 100 processions, the state unit of the BJP aims to connect with more than 10 lakh people. In the campaign to the Tripura assembly elections 2023, at least 10 union ministers, chief ministers of the BJP ruled states and central leaders are expected to join the yatra.
Further, who has come to BJP’s help is none other than Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. TMC has defected Congress MLAs. Six Congress leaders including former working President Pijush Kanti Biswas changed sides. However, Mamata Banerjee and her pack of defected leaders have failed miserably in building upon the Bengali identity.
Also read: Chhattisgarh fort is ‘hard nut to crack’ for BJP in 2023 assembly election
BJP’s card in Tripura: Development
BJP this time is going in with all the contributions it has done to the north eastern region especially Tripura.
From airports to railway lines and other infrastructure development, the BJP government in the state has left no stone unturned in the development of Tripura. On many indices, Tripura has been performing better than Vijayan’s Kerala, which happens to be the model state for the left liberal cabal. Not only this, with its Look East Policy, the Narendra Modi government has included India’s North East as a major contributor to India’s foreign policy.
With the same cards on hand, the BJP wishes to go into the elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also asserted that the BJP-led government in Tripura has wiped out terrorism & militancy and brought all-round development to the north-eastern State. The BJP claims this as they have succeeded in peace talks with the National Liberation Front of Tripura.
Shah in his rally said that, ‘Tripura, which was once known for drug trafficking, violence and massive anti-national activities, is now known for development, excellent infrastructure, achievements in sports, rising investments and organic farming activities,’ giving out BJP’s mantra to win over North East.
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