The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday demanded the resignation of Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, alleging his failure to address the state’s growing electricity-related problems.
A three-hours sit-in and protest programme was organized by the Pradesh Congress at the base of the Netaji statue in Dharmanagar town under North Tripura district on Saturday against the privatization of power services, the installation of smart meters, and what the party described as rampant corruption in the state power utility.
The protest was led by Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Ashish Kumar Saha. Among those present were OBC Congress leader Chayan Bhattacharjee, Manoranjan Nath, former Pradesh Congress president Dibachandra Hrangkhal, District Congress general secretary Tarun Saha, and several senior district and block-level party leaders.
Addressing the gathering, Ashish Kumar Saha accused the government of burdening consumers with unjustified electricity charges while allowing widespread corruption in the power sector. He alleged that the state government was attempting to conceal its administrative failures by citing the decisions of the Regulatory Commission.
Issuing a direct challenge to Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Saha said that if the minister was unable to effectively manage the Power Department, he should resign immediately. He also claimed that the government had shown little concern for the hardships faced by the public due to poor electricity services.
Saha further alleged that the minister had repeatedly failed to provide satisfactory answers whenever journalists and citizens raised concerns about power-related issues, calling it a clear example of administrative negligence. He said the increase in electricity tariffs had made life increasingly difficult for economically weaker sections of society.
The Congress leader asserted that the protest sent a clear message that the party would continue its agitation until the concerns of consumers were addressed.
Senior advocate Ajit Das, Digbijoy Chakraborty, and several veteran Congress leaders also attended the programme. The speakers unanimously demanded the immediate withdrawal of the smart meter project and significant improvements in electricity services, warning that the party would intensify its statewide agitation if their demands were not met.