"In the 24-year rule of the Left government, Tripura has remained backward on all fronts. Only (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi model can develop the state and remove corruption if the party comes to power in next year's assembly elections.
"Rate of development in Tripura is a big zero as the Left government did nothing and central funds were siphoned off. CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) cadres ate the funds meant for development," he said at a public meeting in this northern Tripura town.
In his 19-minute speech in Hindi, the BJP chief said a large number of tribals live in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra where "every basic facility like water, electricity, and health services have been provided in each tribal and remote village".
Highlighting the Modi government's efforts for development of Tripura and elaborating various projects that it had sanctioned, he said the first measure of a BJP government would be to implement recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for state government employees.
Amit Shah noted that during the regime of Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, the 13th Finance Commission gave Rs 7,283 crore to Tripura for five years while the 14th Finance Commission under the National Democratic Alliance government gave Rs 25,396 crore. "This money would not reach the people, it would go to the CPI-M cadres' pocket," he alleged.
He said around 25 per cent of Tripura's educated population was jobless, crime against women was the highest while corruption was mounting as Chief Minister Manik Sarkar remained inactive.
"Due to the misdeeds of the Left Front government 10,323 government teachers recently lost their jobs following the Supreme Court verdict," he said.
He also alleged that during the Left regime, activities of the illegal chit funds mushroomed in Tripura and CPI-M members benefited from these unlawful deposits. He dared Sarkar to hand over the cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, West Bengal's former state unit chief Rahul Sinha, Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste, party General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav, and state BJP President Biplab Kumar Deb also addressed the meeting.
Shah is on a two-day visit to the state to finalise the party's strategy for next year's assembly polls.