A CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA: The ruling BJP and its alliance partner, the Indigenous Peoples' Front of Tripura (IPFT), have geared up their machinery to fill the vacuum created in the hilly areas of the State after the CPI(M)-led Left Front was removed from power in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in the wake of imposition of Governor's rule and appointment of an administrator to run its administration.
The BJP-led alliance captured power in the State defeating the CPI(M)-led alliance in 2018 but the red brigade was holding power in the TTAADC, where they won all the 28 elective seats in the 2015 election. It was predicted that a major fight is waiting between the saffron and red brigades as the election for TTAADC was scheduled this year.
The sudden arrival of the coronavirus pandemic has totally changed the scenario as holding elections have became impossible. In such a situation, the State had to impose Governor's Rule as the tenure of the CPI(M)-led council ends on May 17.
Jishnu Debbarman, Deputy Chief Minister, who is the tribal face of the BJP in the State, said the TTAADC is a child of the Constitution and we only performed the constitutional duties by imposing Governor's Rule. Radha Charan Debbarma, senior CPI(M) leader, who was the Chief Executive Member of the TTAADC also admitted it.
As per the constitutional provisions, the newly-appointed administrator is supposed to hold election of the tribal body within six months and the BJP-IPFT alliance has already geared up both organizationally and administratively. It was evident from a recent statement of the IPFT leader and Tribal Welfare Minister Mever Kumar Jamatia who said that the Center has given an allocation of Rs 63 crore for development of the tribal areas.
Both Jishnu Debbarma and Mever Kumar Jamatia said the CPI(M)-led council was in power for 25 long years but hardly did anything for the development of the remote villages and the people of these areas. They also indicated that massive activities are on the card which definitely keeping eye on the forthcoming election.
The CPI(M) also will not keep any stone unturned to save their bastion but the task is, no doubt, difficult as the level of frustration is running high among party workers. Getting habituated to leave with power, they are now finding puzzled. Meanwhile, former MP Jiten Choudhury, who is also the president of Tripura Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, the tribal wing of the CPI(M), is trying his level best to rejuvenate the party workers.