Former Tripura Congress chief Pijush Kanti Biswas on Thursday floated his own political party, East Mojo reported. He named his son and former Youth Congress president Pujan Biswas as the president of the Tripura Democratic Front.
“We have formed this party on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, with full confidence of the Indian Constitution,” Pijush Kanti Biswas said, according to The Indian Express. “We aim to protect the rights of tribals and non-tribals alike.”
On Tuesday, Pijush Kanti Biswas quit the Congress after accusing the party of “ignorance and groupism”, according to East Mojo. He said that the All Indian Congress Committee had neglected the requests from Congress leaders in Tripura.
Former Congress Vice President for Tripura, Tapas Dey, who has also joined the new political party, said that the Congress has turned into an “asset making machine”, The Indian Express reported. Dey had been associated with the Congress for 58 years.
“Congress has sold itself from Delhi to Agartala,” he said. “Many like us have left Congress after being involved with it for five to six decades. We appeal to those still standing with Congress to realise where the party has gone.”
Dey said that his goals were “hampered” by the Congress and that the party could no longer fulfil his beliefs or commitments.
“So, we have formed this party [the Tripura Democratic Front] today based on Gandhian principles and with confidence on the Indian Constitution,” he said.
The Tripura Democratic Front president, Pujan Biswas, said the new party will work to save democracy and promote the cultural aspects of all communities in Tripura.
“While we are a youth force, seniors are with us to advise and guide us,” he said. “We shall proceed and take decisions with their advice and opinion.”
Meanwhile, several youth Congress leaders were displeased with former MLA Birajit Sinha’s elevation to the post of Tripura Congress chief on September 24. Pijush Kanti Biswas had resigned from the post in August.
As many as 35 Youth Congress members quit the party due to Sinha’s selection, The Indian Express reported. They said that during Sinha’s term as the Tripura Congress chief in 2015, six MLAs had quit, lowering the party’s vote share below 2% in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Several youth leaders joined the Tripura Democratic Front on Thursday after quitting the Congress over the last two weeks.
The newly formed party will also be a part of the political platform led by Tripura royal scion and former Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Manikya Deb Burman, according to NDTV.
On September 8, the Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, or Tipra, and the Assam Jatiya Parishad had formed a political alliance to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party and to fight for the rights of the indigenous people in the region.
The new alliance is looking to sort out regional matters on priority. This includes repealing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, updating the National Register of Citizens, safeguarding constitutional provisions for the protection of Tripura’s indigenous culture.
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