BJP’s Tripura campaign hits top gear, but party still on unsure footing

But the TIPRA Motha chairman told The Indian Express that his association with the BJP, if any, would be conditional. “We will make a political understanding only if we are given an assurance on Greater Tipraland for indigenous communities. We will not go for any alliance without it. BJP leaders have been saying they will get 55 of the 60 seats. If they are so sure, let them go alone.”

According to him, the campaign and the claims the BJP has been making about its support for tribals do not mean anything to tribal people in Tripura. “Tribals want a constitutional solution to their problems,” he said. Asked about the BJP’s argument that the party has sent an Adivasi woman leader to the supreme position in the country by choosing Droupadi Murmu as the President, Debbarma said, “Well, Gyani Zail Singh was the President when the Sikh riots happened, Abdul Kalam’s presidency did not bring a sense of security to Muslims in the country, Scheduled Castes did not get any constitutional rights under the presidency of Ram Nath Kovind, and Pratibha Patil, being the first woman president, did not make any changes to the problems and challenges faced by women in India. The rehabilitation of one person does not rehabilitate the entire community. We are not demanding anything unconstitutional, we are neither picking up arms nor are we secessionists. What we are asking for is within the constitutional provisions.”

Sources in the BJP said the TIPRA Motha head was “pressuring” the BJP to accept his conditions as the ruling party is desperate to ensure it has the support of tribals, given the disintegration of its ruling alliance partner Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) and soured ties between the two parties. Sources pointed out that BJP national president JP Nadda’s recent tour to tribal areas neither drew much crowd nor generated any enthusiasm, indicating that the party’s influence in the region has drastically reduced.

While the uncertainty about tribal support in the coming election puts the BJP on unsure footing, the party also has problems within. According to an office-bearer familiar with the developments in Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha who replaced Biplab Kumar Deb last May has so far failed to gain popularity among the electorate or the cadre. BJP MLA Burbo Mohan Tripura and two IPFT legislators – Dhananjoy Tripura and Mevar Kumar Jamatia – have resigned and joined Debbarma’s outfit in recent months.

Although the party has won three of the four Assembly by-elections since he took charge, three BJP MLAs – Sudip Roy Barman, Asish Kumar Saha, and Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl – who are considered to be influential resigned from the Assembly to join the Congress. Roy Barman later won a by-election on a Congress ticket.

The national leadership appears to be carefully conducting a balancing act at public fora. Union Home Minister Amit Shah who was in Tripura earlier this month to launch the Jan Vishwas Yatra – which started from Sabroom and Dharmanagar – made it a point to put Deb, Union minister Pratima Bhowmik, and state BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee at the same level as the CM. All three are likely to be in the race for the top post after the elections should the BJP retain the state. But Shah also hinted that there would not be any immediate change of guard as he sought the mandate for the BJP under Saha.

“His speech has settled the race for the chief minister’s post. But he made sure that all the top leaders are given due regard and appreciation,” said a BJP leader from Tripura.

The BJP is not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to campaigning. Nadda will be in Tripura on January 12 to conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra and the party has been roping in popular leaders from West Bengal to campaign in the state. West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will be in Tripura on Tuesday while actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty will address rallies on Wednesday. The party has also directed Union ministers to visit the state in the coming weeks.