Manik Sarkar, a politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has criticized the “politics of deception” of Tipra Motha and its leader, Pradyot Kishore, in the aftermath of the state assembly elections in Tripura. Sarkar condemned Tipra Motha’s divisive and ethno-centric politics and claimed that they have done more harm than good to the tribal community.
Sarkar also pointed out that it was the communist party that had helped the tribals become politically conscious of their rights and dues through the formation of Jana Shiksha Samity and the Gana Mukti Parishad movement. He criticized Tipra Motha’s unrealistic and absurd demands, such as Greater Tipraland and Tipraland, and said that they were irrelevant and had led to the BJP’s victory in the last assembly election.
Sarkar predicted that Tipra Motha would soon wither away as the tribal people have realized their mistake in supporting it. He emphasized that the state government and ADC need to work together to improve the lot of the tribals and that demands for interlocutors and separate states are not the solution.
The state CPI (M) leadership has been vocal about Tipra Motha’s divisive politics and their attempts to win over the tribal vote in the state. The recent assembly elections saw Tipra Motha emerge as the second-largest party in the state, winning 17 seats out of 60. However, the BJP, which had formed an alliance with Tipra Motha, won the elections and formed the government.
