Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman has submitted the letter announcing the move to Tripura speaker.
Highlights
- 6 Congress lawmakers in Tripura join Trinamool Congress, one to join CPM
- Congress rebels unhappy over party's decision to ally with Left in Bengal
- CPM's Manik Sarkar has been CM of Tripura since 1998; polls due in 2018
In yet more bad news for the Congress from the North East, six of its lawmakers in Tripura have resigned and joined the Trinamool Congress, which will now be the main opposition party in the Left-ruled state.
The six Congress rebels, led by Sudip Roy Barman, have appealed for formal recognition, Tripura Assembly Speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath said. "The letter was signed by six Congress MLAs informing me that they have joined the Trinamool Congress," Mr Debnath said, adding that he would review their plea.
This brings the Congress' tally in the 60-member Tripura assembly, 10 till yesterday morning, to three. One lawmakers Jitendra Sarkar, had resigned on Monday and is set to join the CPM.
The Congress rebels say they have resigned over the party's decision to partner with the Left in the West Bengal elections, that saw Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Conference defeat the alliance comprehensively.
"Our objective in joining the Trinamool is to defeat this corrupt, anti-people government of the Left," said Mr Barman, who was the Congress' chief ministerial candidate in the last elections.
The Congress - still reeling from the loss of Assam, a state it ruled for 15 years, to the BJP last month, and rebellion in its ranks in Meghalaya, where it rules with a razor thin majority and the help of allies - is wearing a brave face in Tripura.
Pradyot Deb Barma, erstwhile Royal and Tripura Congress chief has called the resignations "politics of opportunism," and is confident that the Trinamool will not benefit from his party's loss.
The Congress rebels "will be a liability for the Trinamool Congress," he predicted.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar of Left party CPM, meanwhile, has ringside seats to the drama. Mr Sarkar has been Tripura's chief minister since 1998. Elections will next be held in Tripura in 2018.