Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said she was not an outsider in Tripura and had worked for the state many years ago.

“I had worked with Santosh Mohan Dev (Santosh da) and Manoranjan Bhakta and know this state very well. I love the people of the hills and their culture and history attract me,” she said while talking to newsmen after reaching Tripura this evening. Banerjee is accompanied by Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the party.

Miss Banerjee said, “My leaders, including MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, MP Sushmita Dev and Rajib Banerjee were heckled in Tripura. I will give a detailed political speech tomorrow,” she said.

Miss Banerjee along with Abhishek visited the Tripureswari temple and offered puja. Hundreds of people stood on either side of the road to have a glance of Miss Banerjee. Miss Banerjee will take part in a road show tomorrow and then address a public meeting. She went to a tea stall this evening and talked to local people.

Trinamul Congress is hopeful to do well in the forthcoming Assembly election which is scheduled to be held on February 16.

Rajib Bandyopadhyay former West Bengal irrigation and waterways minister and Sushmita Dev, party’s Rajya Sabha MP are camping in the area and organized the party.

Senior Trinamul Congress leaders said the local people were fed up with the BJP government as it did not take any step for the development of the state. Unemployment is at an all time high. Many teachers lost their jobs under the BJP regime.

Though Trinamul Congress did not get a single seat in the civic election, leaders said the response of the people was quite impressive. Before the civic polls, Trinamul leaders were heckled by goons allegedly backed by the BJP. Sushmita Dev’s car was smashed and even the hotel owners refused to give rooms to Trinamul leaders and workers after receiving threats from local BJP leadership.

Leaders said the people had been anxiously waiting to listen to Miss Banerjee tomorrow. Trinamul Congress on Sunday had published the election manifesto and assured all round development of the state if voted to power.

Meanwhile, Dr Shashi Panja, Trinamul Congress spokesperson said the BJP had always deceived people.

“It is not a double engine government but double faced government,” she remarked.

She maintained that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the statehood demand for greater Tipraland was unacceptable. On the contrary BJP leaders had time and again demanded to carve out a separate state in Bengal.

Dr Panja said the “BJP leaders are the biggest hypocrites and their sole business is to hoodwink people.”