Tripura: BJP rules out tribal ally’s demand of fighting ADC polls alone

“IPFT had announced their candidates for the Parliament polls without consulting us. We have held an organisational meeting about the ADC polls and have resolved that we might consider IPFT if they abide by the alliance. But they have been speaking about complete walkover for the ADC elections. This isn’t possible for us. If necessary, we shall fight alone in all 28 seats,” Rebati Kumar Tripura said.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Devvarma, MPs Pratima Bhowmik, Rebati Kumar Tripura and party workers from the Janajati Morcha were present during the organisational meeting held on Saturday.

Earlier in September last year, IPFT said it wanted BJP to steer clear from the ADC elections.

IPFT supremo and revenue minister NC Debbarma had then said that his party was assured ahead of the 2018 assembly election that IPFT would be given full responsibility to contest alone and run political affairs in the ADC. The party had written to BJP president JP Nadda, who was then working president in September, requesting a BJP-supported single contest.

However, speaking to indianexpress.com, IPFT general secretary Mevar Kumar Jamatia said his party isn’t ruling out alliance possibilities right away. IPFT would contest in the maximum number of seats, whether in an alliance or not, he said.

“We shall contest in the maximum number of seats. Talks for an alliance can go on (with BJP), but it wouldn’t change that we contest in maximum seats in ADC polls”, Mevar said.

IPFT was formed in the 1990s with the objective of forming ‘Tipraland’ – a separate state for tribal; communities of Tripura. The party underwent several splits with splinter groups emerging from it till it resurfaced in 2009 under its current supremo NC Debbarma. The party had sought an alliance with Tripura BJP in several elections including three-tier Panchayat elections, Lok Sabha polls, etc. but failed to strike any deal since the 2018 state assembly polls.