Agartala: In a major setback for Congress, Tripura Pradesh Congress acting president Pijush Kanti Biswas resigned from the party here on Saturday.
The development comes barely five days after the All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev resigned from the party and joined the Trinamool Congress which is trying to expand the base from Silchar to Agartala.
Biswas, who was the acting president of the PCC for the past two years after the exit of former president Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman who now heads the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) presently ruling the autonomous district council.
“I have resigned from the party and announced my retirement from politics with immediate effect,” Biswas said.
Taking to twitter, Biswas wrote, “With sincere gratitude I thank all Congress Leaders, supporters for your cooperation during my tenure as TPCC President (acting). Today I have resigned from the post of President and retired from politics as well. My sincere gratitude towards Hon’ble CP Smt. Sonia Gandhiji.”
Speaking with EastMojo, a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity said that Biswas had been requesting the senior leaders to constitute the state committee for the last two years, but they did not pay heed to his requests.
“When all the state committees were being formed, it was only Tripura that was not paid much attention since 2016, when the committee was formed last. Biswas was not getting any positive response and cooperation from the leaders in both state and centre,” the leader added.
Meanwhile, reacting to the resignation of Biswas, former PCC chief and TIPRA supremo Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman wrote, “Surprised but not shocked! I wish him the very best nevertheless.”
Sources also said that Biswas, who is very close to TIPRA supremo, wanted to stitch an alliance with the new regional front but the Delhi leadership did not want such a pre-poll alliance.
Biswas, who is also a senior advocate by profession, appeared before the court for the 23 members of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) team who were allegedly detained by the Tripura police for flouting COVID-19 norms.
A delegation of Trinamool Congress also rushed to the state in support of the IPAC team which is headed by political strategist Prashant Kishor.
