Amid rumours of switching over to BJP, Tripura Congress expels senior leader Billal Miah

While nothing has been declared officially, sources in the BJP said Miah would be joining the saffron party at a rally on Thursday.

“Billal Miah, Ex-Minister, is hereby expelled from the primary membership of Indian National Congress for a period of six years with immediate effect for his anti-party activities,” reads a press communique released Wednesday signed by Saha.

Later when contacted, Saha said Miah had been in touch with BJP leaders and was thus expelled. “He violated the guidelines of the All India Congress Committee by maintaining contacts with the BJP. He made every attempt to make the INDIA (Opposition) alliance weak,” he said.

Expulsion of Miah is seen as a disadvantage for the Congress ahead of the bypolls as he is a vital figure in Tripura’s Sepahijala district and both the Dhanpur and Boxanagar seats, which will soon go to polls, fall in the district.

The bypolls, scheduled on September 5, were necessitated due to the death of CPI(M) MLA Samsul Haque in Boxanagar constituency and the resignation of Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhowmik from the Dhanpur seat. Bhowmik resigned to retain her Member of Parliament seat.