Tripura BJP MLA calls Mamata Oppn’s face for 2024 polls; BJP says he’s confused
Tripura BJP MLA Ashish Das is speculated to be on his way out of the BJP, to join the Trinamool Congress. He was spotted at the TMC office in Kolkata over the weekend
AGARTALA: On a visit to West Bengal for the last two days, Tripura’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Ashish Das on Monday showered praises on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who, he said, has become the face of the opposition for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after her emphatic win from Bhabanipur.
Ashish Das, who is known to have been a critic of Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb back home in Agartala, visited the Trinamool Congress (TMC) office in Kolkata on Saturday triggering speculation that he might be on his way out of the BJP.
The BJP MLA’s visit to Kolkata was earlier described by his party leaders as a personal trip.
Asked on Tuesday whether he is joining TMC, Das said that he cannot clarify anything till he completes some rituals at Kalighat on Tuesday.
“Mamata Banerjee has been a choice of many people for the post of Prime Minister. We have not seen any Bengali become Prime Minister till now,” Ashish Das told reporters in West Bengal.
He also launched a sharp attack on his party leaders, alleging that BJP-ruled states such as Tripura, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh were being ruled like dictatorships.
“I wish to see a mother ruling the country and all evil forces will be destroyed by matri-shakti (women power,” he added.
Tripura BJP chief spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said the party was keeping a watch on party leaders and will take action whenever it is required. As for Mamata Banerjee, he said, there was no reason to praise the TMC boss as people in West Bengal have started realising their mistake in voting for her party after the poll-related violence there. “We feel that he (Ashish Das) is confused,” he said.