Tensions have deepened between the ruling BJP and its tribal ally TIPRA Motha, with party chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and MLA Ranjit Debbarma openly accusing the BJP of repeatedly failing to honor commitments made to the tribal community.
The controversy erupted after BJP minister Bikash Debbarma, returning from Delhi, claimed at Agartala’s MBB Airport that the party would address all issues of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) through the 125th Constitutional Amendment if it wins the upcoming polls.
Pradyot immediately dismissed this, saying no such assurance had come from the Union Home Ministry. In a Facebook Live, he accused BJP leaders of misleading tribal voters with “false promises” and warned that TIPRA Motha would pull out of the alliance if the betrayal continued.
Echoing his stance, TIPRA Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma told local media that the party would not remain an ally if commitments were not fulfilled within a reasonable timeframe. Both leaders stressed that TIPRA Motha is prepared to contest the ADC elections independently, signaling a possible split from the BJP.
Pradyot also sent a sharp message to the tribal community, asserting that the era of being treated as “naive” was over. “Those who think they can fool us with empty promises are the real fools,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee and a delegation of Janajati Morcha leaders, including Bikash Debbarma, Santana Chakma, and Rampada Jamatia, recently met Union Home Ministry officials in Delhi to push for ADC empowerment. However, Pradyot’s direct outreach to the ministry has cast doubt on the BJP’s claims, further straining ties.
With ADC polls approaching, TIPRA Motha’s growing frustration and hints of an independent fight could reshape Tripura’s political landscape, especially in the tribal-dominated hills where BJP has struggled to make inroads.