The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday launched its expansion drive to fill the vacuum created by the Opposition parties in Assam.
TMC Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra said the party headed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be the voice of the common people of Assam as all the parties in the Opposition have “become puppets” in the hands of the BJP.
“There is no one to represent the commoner’s voice. We will fill the vacuum,” she said at a function in Guwahati where scores of Congress leaders and members had formally joined the TMC.
She said the BJP–ruled government in Assam was actually a government run by former Congress leaders. “The BJP bought them all and is still trying to buy the Opposition leaders.”
Ms. Moitra also said the BJP was trying to divert the attention of the people from inflation and unemployment by focussing on religion, loudspeakers, food and other trivial matters. “The TMC will fight the anarchy and not allow them to divide and rule.”
Wednesday’s was the first major political programme of the TMC after former MP and State Congress president Ripun Bora jumped ship.
Wave in favour of party: Ripun Bora
“There will soon be a wave in favour of the TMC in Assam,” he said, asserting that his party — named Assam Trinamool Congress — will not enter into any alliance with either the Congress or the minority–based All India United Democratic Front headed by MP and perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal.
The function was also attended by TMC’s Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev, who is from Assam’s Silchar and former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma.
Mr. Sangma and 11 other MLAs of Meghalaya had in 2021 quit the Congress and joined the TMC. This left the Congress with only five MLAs, who were later suspended for joining the National People’s Party–led coalition government in Meghalaya. The BJP is a constituent of this government.
