Agartala, October 2: Amidst growing speculation about leaders and MLAs from the main opposition party, TIPRA Motha, considering a move to join the ruling BJP, senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, a permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), made a plea to TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma urging him to merge his party with the Congress and assume the role of Tripura Pradesh Congress president.
Barman expressed his deep admiration for Debbarma and emphasized the historical respect Congress has shown for the royal family, including the Maharaja and the Maharani, who were given opportunities to serve as MPs beside Pradyot Kishore himself had previously held the position of Congress president and secretary of the All India Congress Committee.
Barman reiterated Congress’s enduring affection for the family and appealed for the complete merger of TIPRA Motha with the Congress, offering full support in leading the party.
Addressing a gathering outside Congress Bhawan in Agartala, where supporters from various political parties, including TIPRA Motha, CPIM, and the ruling BJP, had joined the Congress, Barman added that Congress is willing to support for direct funding of the TTAADC, a crucial element for the development of indigenous communities and one of TIPRA Motha’s key demands.
He pointed out that Congress had previously delivered on various developmental fronts, such as MGNREGA, the right to education, right to food, housing, infrastructure, and more, but ruling BJP only renamed these programs and cannot show a single pro-people program.
It’s worth noting that Pradyot Kishore resigned from the position of Tripura Pradesh Congress president around three years ago over his differences with the party on the NRC and CAA issues.
He subsequently founded his tribal-based party, which currently holds power in TTAADC and serves as the opposition in the assembly.
