Agartala, August 31:
Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Monday said his party would not have an alliance with the BJP unless the constitutional rights promised to indigenous people under the Tripura Accord are delivered.
Reacting to the State Election Commission’s announcement of the TTAADC Village Committee election schedule, Debbarma credited his Supreme Court battle for paving the way for the long-pending polls, saying indigenous people would get an opportunity to exercise their voting and constitutional rights after nearly a decade.
Polling for 587 Village Committees covering 2,634 constituencies and 5,873 seats will be held on September 28 from 7 am to 4 pm. Nearly 9.62 lakh voters are eligible to vote.
“Until our people get their constitutional rights, which were promised to us in the Tipra Accord, I will not have an alliance,” Debbarma said in a Facebook Live, describing his position as “full and final”.
He urged educated and experienced people to contest the polls and called for candidate selection based on integrity and ability rather than party considerations.
Debbarma also projected the Village Committee polls as an important political indicator ahead of the 2028 Assembly election, urging indigenous people to remain united over issues including land, political rights, funding and language.
The Supreme Court had in June directed the State Election Commission to conduct the long-pending elections in a single phase following a petition filed by Debbarma.
