Sudip Roy Burman, who had resigned from the post of the Leader of Opposition in Tripura Assembly ahead of the polls in West Bengal, protesting the Congress-CPI(M) tie-up in that state, said the six MLAs would now openly work as TMC activists.
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A former veteran leader of the CPI-M and a former speaker of the Tripura assembly, Sarkar joined the Congress with his supporters in March 2010.
In the 60- member House, the Left Front has 50 seats.
Roy told media that Trinamool Congress will build up an intense movement eyeing the 2018 Tripura assembly polls.
The six Congress MLAs who signed the letter include Barman, Ashish Saha, Biswabandhu Sen, Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl, Pranjit Singha Roy and Dilip Sarkar.
Another dissident Congress MLA Jiten Sarkar, who has resigned from the Assembly, has expressed willingness to join ruling CPI(M), according to CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar.
On Monday Congress legislator Jitendra Sarkar resigned from the Tripura assembly and chose to rejoin the ruling CPI-M. “After consulting the rules and experts, I will take a final decision in this regard in a day or two”, Debnath said. “Our objective in joining the Trinamool is to defeat this corrupt, anti-people government of the Left”, he said in Agartala.
If the Speaker recognises the six Congress lawmakers as TMC members, the West Bengal-based party will open its account in the Tripura assembly.
The Congress – still reeling from the loss of Assam, a state it ruled for 15 years, to the BJP last month, and rebellion in its ranks in Meghalaya, where it rules with a razor thin majority and the help of allies – is wearing a fearless face in Tripura.
Among those quitting the party are former Tripura chief minister Samir Ranjan Barman and his son Sudip.
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The development came amid reported efforts by the Trinamool Congress to split the Congress legislators’ group.
