Tripura: Congress announces support for TMP if it quits BJP-led alliance

Agartala, Oct 31 (IANS) Amid the “sweet-and-sour relationship” between the BJP and its ally, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), opposition Congress on Friday announced that it will support all "legitimate demands" of the tribal-based party if it withdraws from the ruling coalition government in Tripura.

Former Minister and Congress Working Committee member Sudip Roy Barman said that TMP supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma has been repeatedly threatening to quit the BJP-led alliance if the tripartite ‘Tiprasa Accord’ is not implemented soon to safeguard the constitutional rights of the tribals.

Following the signing of the tripartite agreement, the then-opposition TMP, which has 13 MLAs, joined the BJP-led coalition government on March 7, 2024, reshaping Tripura’s political landscape.

Two TMP MLAs -- Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma -- were later inducted into the Chief Minister Manik Saha-led cabinet.

“It was promised that the accord would be implemented within six months. It has been around 20 months since the accord was signed, but no results are forthcoming so far. The TMP has organised agitations demanding the accord’s implementation. Why don’t they come out of the coalition if they truly want the socio-economic development of the tribals ?”

Roy Barman asked. He urged the TMP to quit the ruling alliance and take to the streets to press for immediate implementation of the accord.

“If the TMP leaves the coalition with the BJP, the Congress will join hands with the party to fulfil the economic, social, and political demands of the tribals. However, people will not accept the communal-centric politics of the TMP,” said Roy Barman, who was accompanied by Tripura state Congress President Asish Kumar Saha.

The Congress leader also criticised both the ruling BJP and the opposition CPI-M-led Left Front for the prolonged delay in passing the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill.

The Bill was drafted to increase the financial, executive, and administrative powers of tribal autonomous councils in the Sixth Schedule areas of the Northeastern states. The region has 10 tribal autonomous bodies -- three each in Assam, Mizoram, and Meghalaya, and one in Tripura.

“The previous Left Front government took an unusually long time to send its views to the Centre on the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill. Finally, it submitted its suggestions in August 2013, just before the general elections to the state assembly,” Roy Barman said.

Meanwhile, TMP activists, in a series of attacks across different districts, injured more than 20 BJP members and karyakartas. The TMP-affiliated Tiprasa Civil Society (TCS), led by TMP MLA Ranjit Debbarma, had observed a 24-hour state-wide shutdown on October 23 in support of its eight-point charter of demands, including the deportation of illegal migrants.

During the shutdown, a section of TMP activists allegedly attacked several people and officials at Santirbazar in Dhalai district, seriously injuring more than a dozen individuals.

Among the injured were Salema Block Development Officer (BDO) Abhijit Majumdar, Kamalpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Samudra Debbarma, engineer Animesh Saha, and trader Subrata Paul, all of whom were hospitalised with critical injuries. With elections to the politically crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) due early next year, both the BJP and TMP are working separately to consolidate their influence among the tribal communities.

--IANS

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