Agartala, July 6:
A day after a Tipra Motha MLA issued a stern warning about withdrawing support from the BJP-led government over the delay in implementing the Tiprasa Accord and failure to curb infiltration, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Sunday responded publicly for the first time, stating that his government has not received any official communication from the alliance partner regarding such a move.
Speaking to reporters at Santipara in Agartala during a public outreach programme marking 11 years of the Narendra Modi government, Saha said, “What their party members say is their matter, but I haven’t received anything in writing.” When asked about Tipra Motha leaders expressing frustration over the time-bound implementation of the Accord, the Chief Minister added, “I am in regular talks with Tipra Motha supremo. The process is ongoing.”
The political tension has intensified following a late-evening meeting on Saturday between BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma at the Ujjayanta Palace — just hours after MLA Ranjit Debbarma made the threat to pull out of the coalition.
While both leaders described the meeting as a “courtesy visit” to convey belated birthday wishes to Pradyot, who turned a year older on Friday, Debbarma later clarified that his MLA’s comments reflected “frustration” and “a genuine sense of disappointment and insecurity” prevailing among indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas.
The Tiprasa Accord, signed in March 2024 as a part of the alliance deal, was intended to address longstanding issues of political autonomy and development for the tribal population. However, Tipra Motha leaders have voiced concerns over the lack of tangible progress, particularly in curbing cross-border infiltration and implementing constitutional guarantees.
The unfolding developments have sparked political speculation over the alliance partners but it wouldn’t have any impact on the stability of the BJP-led government, as the party has more than absolute majority in the 60-member state assembly.
