Normal life was paralysed as Congress enforced a general strike in northern districts of Tripura on Monday. The state’s main opposition party called dawn to dusk strike to press 21 demands.

Police said no untoward incident was reported from Dhalai, Unakoti and North Districts where several hundred local Congress leaders and supporters were detained for violating prohibitory orders. Senior leaders of the party including PCC(I) Chief Birajit Sinha however refrained from picketing.

Mr. Sinha claimed that 500 party workers were detained since morning in three districts. “People have responded hugely to our strike call in support of 21 demands”, he told The Hindu.

The police said several government offices functioned in districts, but with skeletal staff. Vehicular traffic was near normal in some rural pockets of Dhalai district, but markets, shops and educational institutions remained closed.

The demands include creation of a Railway Division in Tripura with its head office in Dharmanagar, North Tripura district headquarters, restoration of old airports in Kailashahar in Unakoti and Kamalpur of Dhalai districts, expansion of the National Highway 44 and some other local issues.

The strike in three of state’s eight districts was called under guidance of PCC Chief Birajit Sinha who hails from Unakoti district and has much influence in the area. Mr. Sinha however stayed away from direct participation in the bandh after some senior leaders expressed their displeasure against his alleged regional predisposition.

CPI(M) slammed PCC(I) president for what it called ‘abrupt and absurd’ strike. State Secretary of the ruling party Bijan Dhar claimed Mr Sinha was trying to save his post following reports of possible change of guard in Tripura Congress.