Agartala, April 18:A day after registering a resounding victory in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections—winning 24 out of 28 seats—TIPRA Motha on Saturday not only staked claim to form the council but also launched one of its sharpest political offensives yet against the BJP-led state government and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha.
Led by party founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, a high-level delegation called on Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu at Lok Bhavan in Agartala, initiating the formal process for government formation.
Speaking to reporters, Debbarma made it clear that the party would proceed constitutionally, stating, “The Governor will go through the process and issue a notification, and as soon as that is done, we will follow the rules and policies.” Yet, the tone quickly hardened as he turned his fire on the BJP.
In a direct and unrestrained attack, he alleged that despite being an alliance partner, TIPRA Motha had been subjected to sustained “bullying” and attempts to engineer defections. “If we are in an alliance, why attempt to break a partner? Why this horse-trading?” he asked, laying bare deep fractures within the ruling arrangement.
Targeting the Chief Minister, Debbarma suggested a serious disconnect between governance claims and political conduct on the ground.
“Whatever is written in law applies equally to everyone—whether it is the Chief Minister or any citizen. Nothing can be seized forcibly,” he said, in a pointed rebuttal to recent remarks attributed to Manik Saha.
Indicating that the relationship with the BJP is now under review, he revealed that the party’s top leadership would soon meet to “review the results” and take a call on the future course, including the continuation of the alliance.
The TIPRA Motha chief, emboldened by the scale of the mandate, struck a defiant note. “Now I will be more vocal. I will never compromise with the rights of my people who have given such a big mandate,” he declared, signalling a more aggressive political posture in the days ahead.
He also accused elements within the BJP of misleading the Chief Minister and attempting to destabilise regional forces through inducements. The electorate, he asserted, had delivered a clear verdict against such practices.
Significantly, Debbarma announced that unresolved legislative issues concerning indigenous rights would soon be taken to the Supreme Court, marking an escalation beyond political rhetoric.
“We will pursue this legally and seek justice,” he said, indicating that the battle is set to move into the judicial domain.
Even as he appealed for restraint among party workers and supporters, the message to the BJP leadership was unmistakable—TIPRA Motha, riding on an overwhelming mandate, is no longer willing to play a subdued ally, and is prepared for a direct political and legal confrontation.
