Agartala, Oct 29 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday hinted at a possible BJP-TIPRA Motha understanding to jointly form the executive committee of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), saying a meeting between the leadership of the two parties was expected.
The indication came a day after Saha held a meeting with TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma to discuss the implementation of the tripartite agreement aimed at addressing the demands of the state’s indigenous people.
Describing his meeting with Pradyot as “very cordial”, Saha said in presence of Chief Secretary several issues related to the agreement were discussed, though some ambiguities concerning land rights remained to be resolved. The outstanding issues would be taken up for finalisation in Delhi, he indicated.
The possible political understanding assumes significance as the BJP and TIPRA Motha had contested against each other in the TTAADC elections held in April this year. TIPRA Motha won 24 of the 28 elected seats, while the BJP secured four.
Saha also performed the bhumi pujan for an underground cabling project in Agartala, which is expected to cover all 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation.
The project is expected to be completed in around six months and is intended to facilitate road widening, improve urban infrastructure and reduce voltage fluctuations, the chief minister said.
Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder, Deputy Speaker Ram Prasad Paul, MP Rajib Bhattacharjee and other dignitaries were present in the programme.
Uderground cabling is part of the broader effort to improve the city’s electricity distribution infrastructure while addressing challenges arising from expanding urban development.
The chief minister’s remarks on the possible BJP-TIPRA Motha arrangement and the ongoing discussions on the tripartite agreement come amid renewed efforts to address indigenous people’s demands and strengthen political coordination between the two parties in Tripura.
