On Sunday BJP announced in Tripura that its pre-poll alliance with the IPFT (Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura), a regional party, would continue in the next Assembly elections to be held early next year.
The ruling party BJP and IPFT fought the 2018 Assembly elections together and succeeded to possess power from the CPI (M). The IPFT won eight seats while BJP bagged 40 in the Assembly of 60.
On Sunday, BJP spokesperson in the state, Subrata Chakraborty told reporters in Agartala that the party would retain its alliance with the IPFT and the discussion regarding the seat-sharing issue would take place “at the appropriate time.” This ends the speculation that the BJP may cut off its ties with the IPFT after the regional party’s poor show in the elections held for Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC), where TIPRA Motha, a forum of other regional parties led by Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, was the key player.
Now in power of the TTADC, TIPRA Motha is against alliance with any party not accepting its demand for a separate state for the indigenous Tripuris. Subrata Chakraborty said ,” It is upto the IPFT to strengthen the party and face the elections,”. before the 2018 polls ,the tribal belt, having 20 Assembly seats, was a stronghold of IPFT.
The Desertion of at least four MLAs and change of Biplab Kumar Deb as the Chief Minister due to infighting has become a worry for the saffron party workers, though BJP is still seen as the strongest party in the state. While Deb was elected to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, BJP made Manik Saha as its new CM.
By the mean time, opposition parties CPI (M) and congress are set to put efforts and unite with the intention to hamper BJP’s second term in a row.
