Agartala, September 2: The BJP has begun preparations for the forthcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) village committee elections, with its state leadership asserting that the party is ready to contest all seats if an electoral understanding with ruling ally Tipra Motha does not materialise.
The remarks came on Wednesday on the sidelines of a special organisational meeting of the Tripura BJP at its state headquarters in Agartala, attended by senior central and state leaders.
BJP Tripura state president Abhishek Deb Roy also a MLA said the party was prepared to fight the election independently and was holding discussions on its organisational and election strategy.
“We are prepared for all the seats,” Deb Roy said when asked whether the BJP was ready to contest the polls in the event of no alliance.
He said discussions at the meeting covered organisational issues as well as preparations for election-related programmes, including meetings and rallies.
The meeting assumes significance amid uncertainty over a possible BJP-Tipra Motha electoral arrangement. Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma has repeatedly maintained that he would not enter into an electoral alliance with the BJP until the Tripartite Agreement is implemented.
Asked about the alliance issue, BJP Tripura in-charge Dr Rajdeep Roy said discussions were continuing and that details would be made public at the appropriate time.
“Talks regarding the alliance are going on. Let us see; everything will be told to you at the appropriate time,” Roy said.
Roy also underlined the BJP’s organisational approach, saying preparations for the next election begin immediately after the conclusion of one election. He said the party’s organisational strength and its network of workers at different levels remain central to its political activities.
The meeting was attended by BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh, Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, newly appointed Northeast coordinator Rajeev Babbar, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, former Chief Minister and national general secretary Biplab Kumar Deb, state in-charge Dr Rajdeep Roy, state president Abhishek Deb Roy, cabinet ministers, MLAs and senior organisational leaders.
According to the state leadership, the meeting is discussing the party’s organisational activities, the prevailing political situation and preparations for the forthcoming election.
The TTAADC village committee elections are particularly significant for the BJP-Tipra Motha relationship, as the two parties are currently alliance partners in the state government but have differences over implementation of the Tripartite Agreement.
