“I choose my people over Congress,” says Pradyot after resigning as TPCC prez

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AGARTALA | Sept 24, 2019:

Royal Scion, Pradyot Manikya Debbarma on Tuesday addressed the people of Tripura via a live video on Facebook following his resignation as the President of the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee.

In his address, Debbarma blamed AICC general secretary incharge Northeast, Luizinho Faleiro for forcing him to quit the party over the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) besides other issues.

"20 days ago, Faleiro told me to withdraw the NRC petition which I had filed or lose the president post," said Debbarma adding that he chose to stand in solidarity with the people and refused to withdraw the petition.

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Questioning the intention of the AICC leader to force him to withdraw the petition, Debbarma pointed out that he had filed the NRC petition much before he became the PCC president. "Why did they appoint me then if they had problems with the petition?" he asked.

Almost in tears, Debbarma said "I genuinely feel bad for leaving the party but I will not compromise on my self respect; I cannot betray the trust of my people or go against whatever I believe. Yes I want to say sorry to everyone, all the members of the state party unit… But I cannot lie to my people and will not withdraw my petition."

The royal scion tendered his resignation today after being associated with the Grand Old Party for 19 years.

For the past few days, there have been speculations of Debbarma's stand-off with the Party High Command over several issues including NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

"I was so suffocated; I have notseen so much of filth, corruption, dirt, immoralities, prostitution…. Wepoliticians, we wear white kurtas butwe are so dirty, we tell so many lies and I couldn't do it anymore…"

He also stated that he had met AICC interim President Sonia Gandhi few days ago to air all these grievances but to no avail. "I apprised her of the fact that senior leaders only indulge in groupism; they are not doing anything for the party in Tripura; she said she will take action but nothing happened," he said.

Pradyot Manikya Debbarma

Coming down heavily on the AICC secretary incharge of Northeast, Luizinho Faleiro, Debbarma called him "corrupt" and a man who has "no depth" and "no quality". "People like him have managed to ruined the Congress in the Northeast," he added.

"They (Faleiro) only come down to Northeast to make money, they create lobbies and leaders. These people in the high command are willing to do anything for money, they can sell anything … They criticize the CPM infront of everyone but shake their hands behind closed doors," he alleged.

Congress in Tripura has not been in power for 26 years because there is no unity and respect among the party leaders and no leader cares about the workers' problems, he said adding that some prefer to work for the leaders rather than the party.

He also criticised Faleiro for showing no signs of interests or respect towards the plight of the indigenous people of Tripura. He cited that the AICC leader recently refused to meet over 600 tribals who had come all the way from the villages in Tripura to protest in Jantar Mantar in the national capital on CAB, recognition of indigenous Kokborok language, Forest Bill and empowering of the ADCs.

"Despite being only few kilometers away from the protesting venue, he (Faleiro) refused to come and meet the tribals. Is this not an insult?" he lamented.

"I love and respect Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi but when the GS of the party comes and tell me to go against my people; I cannot compromise… The party had a problem with the issues that I had raised. I understood that I don't have any option; which is why I have chose to stand in solidarity with my people. I have chosen my people over my party and my self-interest," he said.

Debbarma has also ruled out speculations of him joining any other political parties. "I am not for sale; I am not joining any political party. For the next one month, I am going to meditate and think about my next course of action," he said.