Agartala, February 12: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Thursday asserted that the nationwide strike called by trade unions and supported by the CPI(M) failed to make any impact in the state, claiming that people have “rejected bandh politics” and are no longer willing to support what he described as the Left’s “old and repetitive tactics.”
Speaking to reporters in Agartala, the Chief Minister said normal life continued across the capital and other parts of the state, with offices, markets, banks, schools and transport services functioning without disruption.
“Regarding the bandh, I told you yesterday itself — the bandh is not happening. I have seen it myself. Everything is normal and people are moving around freely,” Dr Saha said.
The strike was called by 10 Central Trade Unions and supported by organisations including INTUC, AITUC, CITU and others, demanding repeal of the four new Labour Codes and withdrawal of several policies affecting workers and farmers.
In Tripura, the CPI(M) and Left-affiliated unions organised picketing programmes in the city, with former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Opposition Leader Jitendra Chaudhury and other leaders participating amid tight security.
However, the bandh failed to disrupt daily activities in Agartala, with vehicular movement remaining smooth and commercial establishments staying open.
Launching a sharp attack on the CPI(M), Dr Saha said such shutdown calls no longer resonate with the people.
“This kind of bandh politics does not work anymore. They deliberately call these bandhs and force everything to shut down, while they themselves remain comfortable. They claim to speak for the working class and daily wage earners, but in reality, they don’t speak for them — they only speak for themselves,” he alleged.
Accusing the Left of damaging Tripura’s industrial base during its long rule, the Chief Minister said many factories had shut down, pushing poor families into hardship.
“They shut down the homes of working people and close factories. Look at what they have done in West Bengal. In Tripura too, many factories have been closed. Personally, I know about several such factories that were shut down, keeping the poor trapped in poverty,” he said.
Dr Saha further claimed that the CPI(M) lacked a clear ideology and was merely repeating outdated narratives.
“They keep repeating the same old talks like an old gramophone record, thinking that it might work again. Sometimes they oppose someone, and at other times they join hands with the very same people they once opposed. Their statements keep changing from place to place. There is no point listening to them anymore. People have stopped accepting them,” he remarked.
Highlighting the Centre’s welfare initiatives, the Chief Minister said the BJP government was focused on inclusive development.
“The Prime Minister’s slogan — ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ — truly reflects concern for the poor. Through schemes like the Vishwakarma Yojana, people who were never considered before are now being thought about. The Prime Minister is genuinely working for the poor,” he said.
Saha also stressed that special attention is now being given to indigenous communities, who he claimed were neglected in the past.
With the bandh drawing limited public response in Tripura, the Chief Minister maintained that people have moved beyond disruption-based politics and are prioritising stability and development.
