Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has lashed out at the rebel leaders of the party who have now launched a systematic campaign to speak against alleged failures of the BJP-led coalition government. Without naming former Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman and his coterie, the Chief Minister asserted that people have confidence in the BJP as they were frustrated with a section of non-Left leaders for their continued reluctance to end the long “misrule” of the CPI(M).

A section of the party MLAs and leaders led by Mr. Barman has been touring the State to speak against their own party and the government. They visited Udaipur in Gomati district on Thursday to interact with leaders and workers who according to them relentlessly worked to bring a political change in the State in 2018 but “‘left neglected” after BJP’s win.

Udaipur has been the sixth subdivision they have visited so far and their interaction programme will continue in other areas. Making a significant statement, Mr. Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha — MLAs — announced that they would not contest in the 2023 Assembly elections from the BJP and they would make their political plan public at an “appropriate time”.

Chief Minister Deb has rejected the claims of Mr. Barman and others that the State government has failed to implement its commitments and execute welfare programmes for all sections of people. He also rubbished allegations that the attitude and work pattern of the State government has been undemocratic and autocratic.

“Even before the 2018 Assembly elections, people rallied behind the BJP in 2015 and 2016 local elections where the party’s vote share rose to 36%. This was because people were frustrated and rejected the dubious politics of the non-Left political leaders who were not keen on ending the CPI(M) misrule,” the Chief Minister said during an interaction with a select group of newsmen.

He sounded confident over the BJP’s triumph in 2023. He said people will judge them by the performance of the government while the actions of the party rebels will not bear any impact.

The Chief Minister also hailed the cooperation and support the State is receiving from the Union government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ushering impressive development programmes.

Political observers opine that the State will see new equations and alliances in the run–up to the Assembly elections slated for early 2023. There are reports in a section of local media that Mr. Barman and his camp might return to the Congress fold or join the Trinamool Congress, which is desperately trying to make a dent in the State.

Mr. Barman was made Health Minister in 2018 but was axed from the Cabinet soon after the Lok Sabha elections over his alleged anti party activities.