Weeks before crucial by-polls, senior Congress leader Billal Mia resigns, will join BJP

Just weeks before the crucial by-elections for Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly constituencies, the opposition parties suffered a setback as the working president of Pradesh Congress and former Minister Billal Mia submitted his resignation before the AICC president, who will join BJP soon.

While, the president of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), Ashish Kumar Saha has taken immediate action against Billal Mia for his proximate relationship with BJP and expelled from the primary membership of Congress for a period of six years with immediate effect for his anti-party activities.

Speculation of joining the BJP of Billal Mia started just a few days ago, when some ministers and senior BJP leaders of the state visited his Sonamura home after filing nomination of BJP candidate for Boxanagar seat.

Sources in the BJP said that Mia will officially induct in the party on Thursday, who has a strong support base in the Left bastion Sonamura.

The joining ceremony is expected to be attended by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, BJP State President Rajib Bhattacharjee, former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, and Dr Mahesh Sharma, the BJP in-charge for Tripura Prahari.

Billa Mia in his resignation letter addressed to Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), mentioned his decision to step down from all party positions and his primary membership within the Indian National Congress Party.

"Please accept my warm regards. The Indian National Congress Party has been my political home for the past 44 years. During this period, I have carefully served the party in various capacities as assigned to me. Currently, I hold the position of Working President of TPCC; I am a member of the Election Committee of TPCC and a member of AICC. With immediate effect, I hereby resign all my party positions and posts within the Indian National Congress Party, including my primary membership," the letter stated.

It may be recalled here that the resignation of Billa Mia. Just weeks before the crucial by-elections in Boxanagar and Dhanpur assembly constituencies under Sonamura subdivision of Tripura’s Sepahijala district, might have far-reaching consequences for the opposition vote bank in the upcoming by-elections.

The vacuum created with the resignation of senior Congress leader and a strong anti-Left leader of the Sepahijala district, will give extra-mileage to the ruling party and their poll campaigns in both seats for September 5th by-elections.