IPFT MLA joins INLD rally in Haryana, party distances itself

Jamatia used to be a minister in the Biplab Deb cabinet but was dropped from the ministry earlier this year purportedly owing to his rivalry with IPFT chief and revenue minister NC Debbarma. The tribal party later wrote to the Speaker, recommending his disqualification from the Assembly over ‘anti-party activities’ but no decision has been taken yet by the Speaker.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Jamatia said INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, Nitish Kumar, Parkash Singh Badal, Sitaram Yechuri and several other prominent leaders had turned up at the gathering and discussed issues pertaining to the people of the country.

“I praised them for fighting for kisan, mazdoor, and poor people. The time has come for all small groups to unite. All non-Congress, non-BJP forces should come together to work for the people. I spoke for unity there and said if we don’t unite, the bigger parties would take advantage. United we stand, divided we fall,” Mevar said over the phone.

Asked about Jamatia’s participation in the Haryana rally, a senior IPFT leader said no one from the party officially joined the INLD gathering.

Around the time when the Fatehabad rally was being held Sunday, IPFT working president Prem Kumar Reang, who has virtually replaced Jamatia in the tribal party as the second-in-command, was seen conducting a meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party at the Indian Medical Association conference hall in Agartala.