Tripura’s opposition party TIPRA Motha to join BJP-IPFT govt

Four days after the central government signed a tripartite agreement with the Tripura government and the state’s main opposition TIPRA Motha for an “honourable solution” on all issues of the indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, landrights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language, etc, the tribal party on Wednesday announced that it will join the Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura government in the northeastern state and keep track of the progress of the implementation of the accord among other things.
Speaking to reporters, TIPRA Motha founder and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said his party has decided to join the BJP-IPFT government in Tripura and send two MLAs to serve as ministers in the cabinet. “We have decided to send two MLAs to become ministers in the cabinet. They are Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma. They will serve in the state government but they will also be serving the people of Tripura through the party,” Pradyot said.
With this, TIPRA Motha, which was one of the few major regional political parties outside the NDA bloc, would also be joining the BJP-led alliance.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya told media, “The TIPRA Motha party would join the BJP-IPFT government here before the Parliamentary elections. The dates for oath-taking have not been finalised yet”.
Animesh Debbarna, a computer science engineer-turned politician, had floated his own party – the National Conference of Tripura (NCT), and won the 2003 assembly election from Asharambariassembly constituency in Khowai district. He returned to the assembly for a second term in 2023 after winning from his home constituency with a TIPRA Motha ticket. He is now serving as the leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly. He had earlier served as the deputy chief executive member in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
MLA Brishaketu Debbarma earlier served as an MLA of the BJP’s tribal ally IPFT for over three years before quitting legislatorship in 2022. He contested with a TIPRA Motha ticket from his home turf Simna assembly constituency (ST reserved) and emerged victorious.
On the reason for deciding to join the government at this point, Pradyot Kishore said the ministers from TIPRA Motha would make sure that the tripartite accord signed with the Centre was followed through and that proper funds are sent to the Tripura ADC.
There are 60 members in the state legislature of Tripura, of which 32 are from the BJP, one from its ruling alliance partner IPFT who also serves in the state cabinet, 13 from TIPRA Motha, 10 from the CPI(M), and three from the Congress. One seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Surajit Dutta last year.
Nine of the 12 seats in the state cabinet are currently occupied, with eight BJP ministers and one IPFT member. Even after the two TIPRA Motha MLAs assume two seats in the cabinet, one berth would still remain unoccupied.