Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed strong confidence on April 9 that the BJP will secure a decisive victory in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections, predicting a "historic mandate" for the party when voters go to the polls on April 12.
Saha made the remarks while addressing an election rally in Kalachhara, South Tripura district, where he campaigned in support of BJP candidate Abhijit Tripura.
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The Chief Minister trained his fire on regional party Tipra Motha, accusing it of engaging in corruption and spreading misinformation among voters.
He claimed these actions would ultimately lead to the party's decline within the council, and alleged that opposition workers were attempting to influence voters through intimidation and violence. Saha urged people to remain alert to such tactics, stressing that political power built on fear cannot endure — drawing a pointed historical reference to Adolf Hitler to drive home his argument.
Saha also alleged that opposition groups were disrupting daily life by pressuring shopkeepers to close their establishments before rallies and actively creating divisions within tribal communities.
He called such actions harmful to livelihoods and contrary to the principles of genuine democratic politics, arguing that leadership must be grounded in public needs and community sentiment — not coercion.
Addressing questions about defections from opposition ranks to the BJP, Saha defended those joining the party and questioned why they were being unfairly targeted.
He pointed to the rapid expansion of the BJP's Janajati Morcha as a sign of growing confidence in the party's tribal outreach, noting that the wing has grown significantly in a short period and is contesting all 28 seats of the council independently.
The TTAADC elections are seen as a pivotal contest that will shape the political direction of Tripura's tribal regions.
The council plays a central role in governing tribal areas and advancing the interests of indigenous communities in the state, making the outcome of the April 12 vote significant well beyond party politics.