The Trinamool Congress TMC) on Wednesday claimed that its six-member delegation, which reached Agartala to take stock of the situation arising out of the vandalising of its party headquarters by BJP workers, was left stranded at the airport for three hours, and alleged that Tripura was “reeling under a reign of terror under the BJP”.

As the TMC delegation, comprising Pratima Mondal, Saayoni Ghosh, Birbaha Hansda, Kunal Ghosh, Sudip Raha, and Sushmita Dev, held sit-in demonstration at the Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who reached Kolkata after visiting flood-hit parts of North Bengal, hit out at the BJP government in

Tripura and threatened to visit Agartala if her party leaders were not leave the airport.

“Police are not allowing them (TMC leaders) to even take pre-paid taxis… I told them to go on foot. If that is also not allowed, then I will go there myself. Let’s see who’s got the courage,” Mamata dared.

Shortly afterwards, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha shot back.”Some people are thinking they have got a chance over yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) incident and have come from Kolkata to Agartala. I have said that they may come. Do whatever activities they want. We don’t have any objection,” he said, adding, “TMC has been reduced to a signboard in the state.”

He also said that the TMC delegation’s visit was an attempt to divert attention from the attack on BJP lawmakers in north Bengal.

Later in the evening, the TMC delegation met Director General of Police Anurag Dhyankar. “We discussed three major points, including arrest of those involved in vandalism at TMC state headquarters, the latest status of old cases of attacks on TMC workers, and security of TMC supporters in the days ahead,” the TMC delegation said, alleging that they had to face heckling at the airport for nearly three hours.

TMC Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev said the attack on the TMC office was a “deliberate act of fear and intimidation aimed at silencing the Opposition voices”.

“TMC was born out of a struggle against authoritarian dictatorship, and we will continue the fight for the sake of democracy. Come whatever may,” she added.

Lok Sabha MP Sayoni Ghosh said Tripura has become a playground for jungle raj and terror under the BJP’s watch and alleged that political violence has become a tool of governance.

The TMC delegation, which is expected to interact with party workers on Thursday, has also sought an appointment with Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu to apprise him of the situation and seek his intervention.

On Tuesday evening, a group of BJP supporters removed TMC flags, flex banners and other campaign material and left them in front of the TMC headquarters in Agartala. Party sources said the action was staged as a “token protest” against the “TMC’s assault” on BJP MP Khagen Murmu and party MLA Shankar Ghosh in Jalpaiguri on Monday.

The TMC delegation, however, denied the charges and said the mob attack on the BJP leaders in Jalpaiguri was a result of people’s anger. “People in Bengal, especially those in rural areas, are very upset with the BJP since they have blocked the funds for Centrally-sponsored schemes in the state. This has impeded the pace of development and is affecting a host of projects and job schemes like the MGNREGS.

Earlier in the day, while holding the demonstration at the airport, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “We landed here around 11 am and were set to move towards the city (Agartala) to visit our party headquarters, which was vandalised by BJP-backed goons on Monday. We found that three out of the four vehicles that were supposed to take us from here had been chased away by influential people, forcing us to stay here.”

The TMC leader claimed that when the delegation offered to proceed to the party office by auto-rickshaws or on foot, the police denied permission.

“Police assured us they would arrange vehicles with security so that we could visit our party headquarters. This is very unfortunate, and it appears the BJP is scared of us,” he said.

“This is the difference between Bengal and Tripura. If any BJP leader from Tripura goes to West Bengal, they can move around the state freely. But here our party office has been vandalised, our vehicles have been chased away, and autorickshaws aren’t allowed. So, we will walk from here, and the police will be responsible for any violence that may happen,” the TMC leader added.

Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev termed the attack on TMC headquarters “shocking”, and said it took the TMC two years to set up an office in Agartala when she was in charge of the party in the run-up to the 2023 Tripura Assembly polls.

After over three hours, the TMC delegation was finally escorted to their party headquarters, which had been vandalised in retaliation for a mob attack on BJP leaders in north Bengal.