Agartala Feb 07: With an aim to assess the party’s organizational dynamics and to elevate poll preparedness with the crucial Lok Sabha elections knocking at the door, a 5-member screening committee appointed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) toured Tripura for 2 days.

 Briefing the whereabouts of the committee’s visit to Tripura TPCC president Asish Kumar Saha said, “The committee headed by Rana KP Singh reached Tripura for a 2- day visit and engaged in a discussion session with all the Pradesh leadership starting from MLAs, TPCC members to block level leaders”.

“It was for the first time that PCC issued an open circular where every worker of the party across the state was given a platform to express their views over candidate selection for the ensuing polls. Not only the senior party leadership but leaders and workers at grassroot levels expressed their views in front of the screening committee in a written format”, he said.

Talking about the finalization of candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in Tripura, Saha said, “All the views expressed through the meeting has been carried by the committee members that will be further shortlisted and a docket will be prepared that will be further taken into consideration after CEC’s meeting and considering the I.N.D.I.A bloc final list will be announced”.

Answering the reporters about an alliance with the opposition CPIM, AICC secretary and TPCC in- charge Szarita Laitphlang said, “In the 2023 assembly elections we fought against the BJP in an alliance with the Communist party. This time too we are looking forward to a joint fight considering the alliance at the Centre, but the final decision will be taken by the senior leadership and Congress is ready to give a fight to the BJP”.

However, with an underlying discontent within the party factions where senior leaders of the grand old party like Brijit Sinha have distanced from the party office and programs for quite a long time, the overall strength of the party in state is under doubt.

Many are of the view if Congress will be able to put up candidates in two seats for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking of alliance with the Left, the Congress leaders openly spoke of humiliating treatment during the 2023 assembly elections where Congress was allotted only 13 seats and that too ‘without discussion’.

Also, questions were raised about the much hyped visit of senior Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi to Tripura.

Wednesday too, while answering this, Szarita Laitphlang said, “Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s tour to Tripura and its schedule was almost finalized but because of health issues of her mother Sonia Gandhiji, her tour had to be cancelled. But soon she will be visiting Tripura”.

Also, Rahul Gandhi has promised a 2-day Tripura tour prior to the Lok Sabha polls, she claimed.

Meanwhile, the screening- committee members left the state on Wednesday after they patiently heard the party members who reached Pradesh Congress headquarters from different parts of the state.