With the urban local body elections approaching, the Tripura Congress has shifted its campaign focus towards civic accountability, alleging that the BJP has failed to deliver on the basic development needs of Agartala despite being in power for the past five years. The party has vowed to make deteriorating civic infrastructure, drinking water quality, pollution and rising municipal taxes central issues in its electoral battle.
Senior Congress MLA and former minister Sudip Roy Barman, along with Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashish Kumar Saha, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP, claiming that residents continue to struggle with fundamental civic problems despite repeated development claims by the government.
Roy Barman said the Congress would approach voters with issues that directly affect their everyday lives rather than relying on political rhetoric. He highlighted damaged roads, questionable drinking water quality, worsening air pollution, mosquito infestation and inadequate sanitation as some of the major concerns facing Agartala.
Questioning the quality of the city's environment, Roy Barman urged residents to pay attention to the Air Quality Index (AQI), alleging that people were being exposed to polluted air while also consuming unsafe drinking water. He described the situation as a serious public concern and said the government had failed to ensure even the most basic necessities for urban residents.
Taking a swipe at the BJP's electoral strategy, the Congress leader said money power, muscle power and intimidation would not determine the outcome of the elections. He expressed confidence that voters would use the ballot box to convey their dissatisfaction with the government's performance.
Meanwhile, PCC president Ashish Kumar Saha accused the BJP government of failing to prepare and implement a comprehensive master plan for Agartala over the last five years. He also raised questions over the utilisation of funds under the Smart City project, alleging financial irregularities and claiming that the project had not delivered the expected improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
Saha said the Congress had decided to contest all 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The party would submit nominations in 50 wards on Wednesday, while the nomination for the remaining ward would be filed the following day due to documentation-related issues.
Outlining the party's electoral commitments, Saha said the Congress would seek to ease the financial burden on households by promising relief from property tax and increased water charges. He maintained that residents should not be forced to pay higher civic taxes while continuing to face shortages of safe drinking water and inadequate municipal services.
The Congress leadership said its campaign would focus on making the municipal administration more accountable, improving drinking water supply, addressing pollution and strengthening essential civic infrastructure.
With civic governance emerging as a major electoral issue, the Congress is attempting to turn public dissatisfaction over everyday urban problems into a broader political challenge for the ruling BJP.
