Trinamool leaders have been visiting Tripura with an eye on 2023 assembly polls. (Representational)
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Tripura has denied permission to the Trinamool Congress party for the first mega rally scheduled for Wednesday. When the party tried to reschedule the rally for Thursday, the police once again refused permission.
Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had planned to hold a roadshow in Tripura's Agartala on September 15, as the party looks to establish itself ahead of Assembly elections due in 2023.
However, the Tripura police denied permission saying that another party is already organising a mass rally in Agartala on the same day and on the same route.
Hours after the decision by Tripura police, Trinamool general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the mega public rally would be held on September 16 instead and for that they have sought the permission of the Tripura police in writing.
However, the police denied permission for that as well, citing protocols for Vishwakarma Puja.
Mr Banerjee, on Twitter, said that the "BJP is scared to death and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is using all his might and resources to prevent me from entering Tripura.
"To prevent (Abhishek) Banerjee's rally in Agartala, the BJP conspired in numerous ways. Such conspiracies would not stop Abhishek Banerjee and Trinamool in Tripura. They feared Abhishek Banerjee's political strength," Mr Ghosh, who is also the chief spokesman of West Bengal's ruling party, wrote on Twitter earlier in the day.
In a letter sent to Trinamool leader Subal Bhowmik today, Sub-Divisional Police officer (Sadar) Anirban Das said that during a review meeting it was found that permission for organising a mass rally throughout Agartala city had already been granted to another political party on the same date and time.
"On further review, it is also found that the political party will organise the mass rally in the same route as prayed from your end. As such, from the perspective of security and law and order point of view, protest rally (of Trinamool) on September 15 from 1400 hrs is not permitted/regretted," the letter said.
With an eye on the assembly polls in Tripura scheduled for 2023, Trinamool leaders -- including Mr Banerjee, at least three ministers, more than 12 MPs and several others -- have been frequently visiting Tripura since July 25 to build the organisation and garner support in the BJP-ruled state.