AGARTALA, Oct 30 - Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, the Congress in Tripura is gearing up to strengthen its grassroot level organisation.
Altogether 35,000 booth assistants will be appointed across the State to make people aware of the socio-political and economic development of the State, said Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Birajit Sinha.
Talking to media persons here today, Sinha said the move to appoint booth assistants has been taken as per an AICC directive. �The process of appointment will begin shortly with a view to revitalising the party organisation at the grassroot level,� he said.
However, party insiders said the decision to appoint booth assistants has been taken to foil the BJP�s attempt to sweep the Lok Sabha elections by banking on the role of pristha pramukhs (booth-level leaders). In the 2018 Assembly elections, pristha pramukhs had played a key role in the victory of the BJP.
The PCC chief expressed his concern over deteriorating law and order in the State. �Murders, rapes and crimes against women have become a daily routine during the seven-month rule of the BJP-IPFT Government. People are fuming over the role of the police,� he claimed.
Sinha criticised the role of DGP AK Shukla for not providing escort to the leaders belonging to Opposition parties. �We have given him a 15-day ultimatum to provide escort to our party leaders. If the DGP fails to do so, the Congress will go on a Statewide agitation programme,� he warned.
Sinha also slammed the BJP-IPFT Government for �failing to keep their election promises�. Poor people are not getting jobs under the MGNREGA, while the condition of roads is very pathetic and the people are crying for drinking water, he alleged.
However, the PCC chief declined to make his party�s stand clear on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), saying the central leadership would take the call in this regard in due course of time.
