Agartala, Feb 13, 2023, Rashmi Shil

Known as a rebel leader, political stalwart, Sudip Roy Barman has consecutively won five (5) assembly elections. The last time was in the year 2018 when he won the 6-Agartala seat on a BJP ticket. But after being dropped from the Cabinet Post of Tripura Health Minister, Roy Barman resigned from the post of MLA and switched to Congress.

He later won yet again on a Congress ticket from 6-Agartala seat during the by-elections.

Excerpts from his interview with Rashmi Shil, Tripura Times.

 

CPIM-Congress alliance in view of Tripura Polls, BJP calling it ‘Unholy’ and claiming that ‘People won’t accept it”.

The BJP will obviously say so. They are having sleepless nights, all set to lose power in the state of Tripura. What they call I don’t care. But we have to live up to the expectations of common people and ensure that there is no division of votes, ‘No-Vote in support of BJP’. Succumbing to the demand, the need of the power, both Left Front and Congress have joined in a political understanding as we call it and not alliance.

We are all set to defeat the BJP in the ensuing elections.

 

Do you think this election is different from the earlier ones?

Yes, obviously. The parties that fought against one another in all these years are now fighting jointly. Because we both agree that BJP needs to be uprooted from Tripura and restoration of democratic rights, Constitution, law and order can be done with a joint fight where interests of both the parties are the same.

We are elated that people are responding overwhelmingly and are supporting us.

 

Discontent among party workers and revolts reported at various places over seat sharing adjustment with Congress getting only 13 seats.

Someone or the other had to sacrifice. Congress party, for the interest of the common people, much ahead of its own interest or party’s interest, has agreed to the seat adjustment proposed by the seniors of both Left and Congress. This is for the greater interest of ending the misrule of BJP and not for personal achievements or power.

 

Allegations put on you for switching parties. ‘Turncoat’ as named; Congress-TMC-BJP and again Congress.

The entire BJP party, all are turncoats. Other than a few, all have switched parties according to their own preferences. Maximum are from Congress and other parties too. Giving examples, Subhendhu Adhikari in West Bengal was Congress then TMC and now BJP, Mithun Chakraborty, star campaigner of BJP belonged to CPIM, TMC, Congress again TMC and then BJP. So many turncoats are now star campaigners of BJP.

Had I been in BJP, I would have been an asset, as I’m not, I am named ‘Turncoat’.

 

BJP candidate Papiya Dutta alleged, “People did not see you in 6-Agartala area” and you were not available for the people. There remains a large gap between the MLA and the common people.

Rubbish statement. Had it been so, people would have rejected me. At the end of the day, it is the results that speak. I have won for the last several years even before she stepped into politics and this time too will win from the seat with a huge margin.

 

Dr Ajoy Kumar, AICC IN-charge for Tripura named Jiten Choudhury as next CM of Tripura, what about Congress?

He was generous enough but it is not his duty to decide who will be the next chief minister. It is the assembly that will decide. The CPIM will decide who will be the chief minister, we do not take it seriously.

 

Emergence of TIPRA Motha in the political arena of Tripura, Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman’s demand of ‘Greater Tipraland’.

Undoubtedly TIPRA Motha has made its presence felt, especially in the tribal belt, TTAADC of the state and based on that they are going to get a very good number of seats. I urge people to vote for TIPRA Motha candidates where there are no CPIM or Congress candidates as our motto is ‘No-vote for BJP’.

Greater Tipraland is not unconstitutional, but Congress doesn’t endorse this. We too want socio-economic and overall development of the indigenous people of Tripura but considering the geography of Tripura being a small state surrounded by Bangladesh in 3-sides, we don’t want division of the same.

 

Considering reports of violence in Poll-Bound Tripura, Will people be able to cast votes?

BJP cannot survive without violence and it is in their DNA. BJP cannot win the elections without the support of autonomous bodies like the ECI, which they have manipulated for their own vested interests. The ECI has assured us of ‘Free and Fair’ polls for the larger interest of democracy and we believe that the people will themselves build a resistance towards such hooliganism and come out of the houses to exercise their democratic right.