Bharatiya Janata Party leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that outgoing Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar can now take shelter in West Bengal, Kerala or Bangladesh, after the BJP looked set to win the state’s Assembly elections, PTI reported.

“He can go to West Bengal, where the CPM still has some presence,” Sarma, a minister in Assam, said. “He can go to Kerala, where the party is in power and will rule for three more years, or he can go to neighbouring Bangladesh.”

Sarma had made a similar remark at an election rally in Dhanpur, Manik Sarkar’s constituency, in December 2017, criticising the Left Front government for the alleged deterioration in the law-and-order situation and increase in cross-border crimes. “But what is the result if you kill one; 10 other shall stand by our side and singing the praise of Bharat Mata we shall pull you down from your seat and send you to Bangladesh and this is our pledge,” Sarma had said at a public rally in Kathalaia town.

The BJP swept the Tripura Assembly polls on Saturday.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel criticised Sarma for his statement. “He is an honest person, how can they say where does he need to take shelter? What does it mean? Do they want to terrorize him,” Patel asked.