AITC push to gain grounds in Arunachal Pradesh
Sources in AITC said that a handful of disgruntled leaders of Congress and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) are in close touch with the Mamata Banerjee-led party over a possible switchover.
ITANAGAR:
After making inroads in Tripura and Meghalaya, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) is geared up for another “khela” in Arunachal Pradesh.
Sources in AITC said that a handful of disgruntled leaders of Congress and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) are in close touch with the Mamata Banerjee-led party over a possible switchover.
Sources revealed that Arun Saraf - a businessman from Kolkata, who is very close to senior AITC leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee - has been campaigning in Itanagar for the past several days and meeting leaders of both Congress and BJP.
Saraf, a resident of Bidhaji Nagar, Kolkata, and a promoter of more than 18 companies including AbjiinnaL Mining Private Limited, Abhinna Energy Private Limited and Abhinna Investments Pvt Ltd, is eyeing the lucrative coal business in Kharsang, Upper Subansiri, and West Kameng districts.
Saraf has been holding talks with several disgruntled leaders such as former chief minister Nabam Tuki, former MP Takam Sanjoy and retired IAS officer Kapa Kohli & others, sources said.
It is also learnt that Abhishek Banerjee had sent Saraf as “envoy” to meet several top leaders of Congress and BJP for joining in the BJP.
While political analysts have predicted a Meghalaya-like scene in Arunachal Pradesh soon, sources confirmed that Congress and BJP leaders are in talks to make a strategic shift to the AITC.
Notably, following AITC winning the West Bengal Assembly Elections in 2021, the party was able to make inroads in Tripura, and also gain ground in Assam’s Barak Valley after former Congress leader and Sushmita Dev MP came into its fold.
Likewise, in Meghalaya, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Dr Mukul Sangma and 11 other MLAs joined the party on November 24.
Earlier, Chakat Aboh, widow of late MLA Tirong Aboh, who was assassinated by NSCN(I-M) militants on January 1, 2021, too had joined AITC.
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