This Left turned right leader may prove a trump card for BJP in Tripura Election

-Nirendra Dev

Yuvrajnagar/Dharmanagar: No one in 2014 and even much after that had conceived of a political situation in Tripura whereinthe BJP would be in the forefront. But with Jadav Lal Nath, there has been an exception.

"I knew and did appreciate the inherent strength of the BJP and always believed they would have relevance in Tripura politics," says Mr Nath,the saffron party candidate from Yuvrajnagar in North Tripura which for long has been a Left bastion.Mr Nath had joined BJP in 2013 and goes on to add: "I recall the exact date, February 25".In the last few years and especially in the run up to the February 18 assembly polls being billed as 'most crucial' many leaders and
footsoldiers have joined BJP.

But Mr Nath's case is unique as comes from a communist background."Till 2013, I was a hard core and committed communist (Mone-praney communist - as he put it)", he says and hastens to add with an infectious smile, "but when I saw gross corruption and selfish manners of top leaders, I decided to quit". To a question, he said, "I knew I could not be associated with the Congress and hence decided to join the BJP"."No, I did not face any ideological issues as I found BJP a nationalist organisation and committed to development and uplift of the poor," he notes.

Mr Nath, now facing an acid test electorally from Yuvrajnagar where he is pitted against Marxist veteran Ramendra Chandra Debnath, is a six time MLA since 1993. Mr Debnath is also the Speaker of the Tripura assembly.

"I am not bothered by the fact who is my rival. I will win hands down as people of my constituency in close proximity to a BJP-stronghold Dharmanagar seat has decided to call the CPI-M bluff," Mr Nath told UNI.

A former Pradhan of Radhapur Village Panchayat, Mr Nath says, "The CPI(M) regime's worst failure has been on law and order front and also corruption and growing incidents of crime against women.....all these must end and will end by next month".To a question, he says, the twin factors of Discipline, and Development have attracted him to BJP and he know the time has come for Tripura to take all the advantage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's developmental
politics.

"The Modi magic is certainly all about development and Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas," he underlines. "We are getting good response from various quarters and including a
large number of former Congress leaders....the Congress nominee for 2013 for the seat Ranadhir Nath is now supporting BJP," he says also adding that veteran Congress leader Viva Nath, who had won the seat in 1988 is also backing his candidature. (UNI)