Agartala, Sep 29, 2023, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala Sept 29: Tripura Trinamool Congress whose presence could not be felt in the state for quite a long time after a major failure in the 2023 assembly polls, suddenly became visible on Friday as the only leader Shantanu Saha addressed the press from the state party office.

Pijush Kanti Biswas resigned from the post of state TMC president and no replacement of the post has been done so far. Besides, many other leaders also severed ties with the party and joined other political parties.

The party’s plan to expand in Tripura faced a major jolt in the 2023 assembly elections after it drew blank and almost all sorts of political movement came to a standstill.

Friday, Tripura Pradesh Youth Trinamool Congress president, Shantanu Deb, who is the only leader seen at the front, slammed the BJP-led state government over recent hike in power tariffs and property taxes.

Addressing the press from state TMC headquarters in Chittaranjan Road of the capital city, Deb said, “The major festival of the state, Durga Puja is approaching and what the state government has gifted to the citizens is ‘extra burden’ as prices of all essential commodities have been hikes”.

“The state government and its concerned authorities have miserably failed to control the market prices of essentials. Starting from rice, pulses, oil, rates of important everyday items are skyrocketing. The Food Department authorities are conducting ‘show- off’ raids and are fooling the people”, he said.

Taking a dig at the state government for putting ‘extra burden’ on common masses, Shantanu said, “Since the induction of Ratan Lal Nath as Power Minister, the condition of the Department is miserable. People of Tripura never faced such distress regarding electricity service where Tripura is a power surplus state”.

“Instead of ensuring uninterrupted power service, the TSEL has announced a 5-7 percent hike in power tariffs that will come into effect from October 1, this year”, he added.

The Youth TMC state president also criticized the state government’s decision and adverse effect on the citizens, particularly within the Agartala Municipal Area (AMC), where wealth tax has surged significantly.

TMC demanded the state government to reconsider the hike in power tariff and also clear its stand on notices sent to the citizens over property taxes.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ratan Chakraborty’s younger brother and Pradesh Youth Congress leader Mithun Das joined Trinamool Congress on Friday.