ARARTALA:
Disgruntled Tripura Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudip Roy Barman has hinted at differences with Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by chairing a slew of meetings in different parts of the state with his political follower, MLA Asish Saha.
Barman has also decided to not contest the upcoming elections on the BJP ticket, suggesting a possible switchover or may float a new political party ahead of the polls.
According to political analysts, Barman’s move is directed towards testing new political waters ahead of the next assembly elections.
Barman will make a formal announcement on the same after meeting his followers and supporters spread across 14 assembly segments of West Tripura district on January 29.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of his Udaipur visit, the former health minister in Biplab Kumar Deb cabinet expressed his anguish against the ruling dispensation and claimed that people want freedom from “the atmosphere of suffocation prevalent all over the state”.
“People want change. They want freedom from the state of hooliganism. People have been prevented from exercising their voting rights. These incidents show how the democratic rights of people are being curtailed. I want to urge people to come forward and resist and retaliate,” he said.
He also alleged that the democratic institutions are not functioning as per the set principles under the current government
“Views of majority elected members are being subsided while electing chairpersons of elected bodies. Corrupt leaders charging bribes for tickets in various areas which are harmful for the democratic fabric of the state. People of Tripura have decided to go for a fresh start. People neither want ‘the old wine in a new bottle’ nor do they wish to continue under the present regime,” he added.