BJP-led ruling Tripura alliance loses another tribal MLA

Dhananjoy’s exit from the ruling alliance comes just three weeks after BJP tribal MLA Burbu Mohan Tripura resigned from the party, saying he wanted to work for “the cause of Tiprasa”

The BJP is down to 35 MLAs in the House of 60 now, while the IPFT strength stands at six.

Dhananjoy, 31, who had won from Raimavalley Assembly constituency in Dhalai district in 2018, was accompanied by TIPRA Motha supremo Debbarma as he met the Speaker on Friday. Sources in the Motha said Dhananjoy would formally join the TIPRA Motha at an event in Agartala on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after tendering his resignation, Dhananjoy said, “I worked for the IPFT for a long time, after starting my political career with it in 2014. I have resigned since I feel that as a Tiprasa, I must work to build the dofa (community). The MLA’s post is not a permanent post, but a dofa is permanent.”

About him accompanying Dhananjoy, Debbarma told reporters: “Dhananjoy said he would not like to stay on as an MLA anymore and would work for thansa (unity) of Greater Tipraland and for the dofa.” The TIPRA Motha later told The Indian Express that Dhananjoy felt “suffocated” inside the IPFT.

“He could not raise the voice for Tiprasa. He wanted to speak out inside and outside the Assembly on certain issues, but he was stopped by the IPFT as it would cause discomfort to the alliance. Being a young person, Dhananjoy approached me, and unconditionally agreed and joined me,” Debbarma said.

The TIPRA Motha was floated in early 2021 with a call for Greater Tipraland — a proposed separate state for tribals of the state and the Tripuri tribals living in parts of Assam, Mizoram and parts of neighbouring Bangladesh. Two months after the Motha was floated, it swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections, establishing itself as the premier tribal party.

Any party that can swing the tribal vote has a huge sway in Tripura, where 20 of the 60 Assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and 10 others have tribal voters as a determining factor.

A source said several other MLAs from different political parties are in talks with the Motha. Speculation is rife since former minister and ex-IPFT general secretary Mevar Kumar Jamatia, who was dropped from the Tripura Cabinet and lost his party post due to rivalry with IPFT supremo and tribal ideologue N C Debbarma, visited TIPRA Motha supremo Debbarma at the royal palace Thursday.