Ramnagar By-polls: “Will serve the constituents of 7- Ramnagar Assembly Constituency, following the footsteps of late MLA Surajit Datta”: Dipak Majumder

Agartala April 12: The ruling BJP has announced Dipak Majumder, the Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation, as its candidate for the by-election in the 7- Ramnagar Assembly Constituency.

The vacancy in the seat arose following the unfortunate demise of BJP MLA Surajit Datta, prompting the by-election scheduled for April 19.

In an exclusive interaction with Tripura Times on Friday, the Mayor Dipak Majumder at first expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am honored that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated me for the most prestigious seat and I pledge to serve the people of this constituency following the footsteps of late MLA Surajit Datta”.

 

A lot will be riding on you on winning from the seat as people of Ramnagar always had high expectations from late MLA Surajit Datta who passed away in December 2023. What are the challenges you feel as a contestant from one of the most prestigious assembly constituencies in the state?

I don’t see any challenges in facing the elections as I believe that people will vote for development, that the ruling BJP has been fulfilling in its tenure after 25 years of backlog during the communist rule.

How are people treating you in door-to-door campaigns?

I am feeling the warmth of the people as I am reaching out to their doorsteps every day. They are very happy with the fact that I will represent them in the Assembly and carry forward the pace of development in the area. Besides, I have also noticed immense love and respect for the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as this is the government which has given them several schemes and ensured preliminary facilities that the communists couldn’t give them earlier. People have faith in us and will vote for development.

I.N.D.I.A bloc supported CPI-M candidate, Ex-MLA Ratan Das claimed that he is also receiving huge response from the common people during his campaigns and also added that the BJP did nothing for the development of Ramnagar. Your reaction to this.

Being a candidate contesting from the Ramnagar seat, he might be receiving response from people but the real response will be visible to all when the results will be declared on June 4. And the matter about development done in the area, people in the entire country and Tripura as well are aware of the developmental works under Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government.

One thing that the opposition has been repeatedly claiming is peaceful votes. They have been saying that if people are allowed to cast votes, BJP candidates will not have any chance of winning. What do you have to say on this?

They must look back to the years when elections were held during the Communist regime and the elections in the past six years when the BJP has been in power. CPI-M is synonymous with violence. Not only the election commission but the senior leaders like Jiten Choudhury and Sudip Roy Barman also could not claim that elections were not held in a free and fair manner.

You have been carrying out the duty of a Mayor for the Agartala Municipal Corporation for two years and now contesting mainstream politics. How far do you think you will be able to manage both the duties; as a Mayor and as a MLA on winning?

Being a Mayor I have successfully run the AMC from the day of taking charge and I believe that if the people send me to the Vidhansabha, there too I will discharge my duties in favor of the people. There is no such difference, I believe, both the responsibility demands ensuring development and overall welfare of the people. Besides, on being elected as an MLA from the seat, I will be able to take forward the demands of the people of Ramnagar directly with the chief minister and other concerned persons in the assembly.

Talking about you being nominated from the Ramnagar assembly seat, a statement floating in the political arena is you being close to chief minister Dr Manik Saha got the ticket. What do you have to say on this?

“Laughing”!!! I have no idea about this. Though I learnt that many were in the race but I never applied for this. It is the party and the senior leadership who chose me for contesting. I believe the people of Ramnagar also know me as an unbiased social activist for a long time.

Any message you want to give the people of Ramnagar?

I have been receiving warm responses from the ground. Some problems exist in the bordering areas and I will certainly take up the issue with the state and central government and try to resolve the same. I urge them to vote for me so that I can work for them.