Tripura tribal parties in quandary over BJP’s stand on alliance

From A Correspondent

Agartala, Dec 13 : The two tribal based regiol parties of Tripura seem to be in a

state of confusion over their future course of action as the BJP, despite initial interest to forge alliance, is now stressing more on expanding their own organisatiol base in the tribal areas. The Indigenous People’s Front of Twipra (IPFT), the most powerful regiol party in the state, suffered serious setback when several leaders of their youth wing including its president Pabitra Jamatia and Executive president Devid Mura Singh switched over their allegiance and joined the BJP. Several tribal leaders from Congress also follow the same path. Accepting them in the party the state BJP president Biplab Deb said some more surprises are waiting indicating that some top leaders of different parties are going to join them in January. He reiterated his earlier decision of not forging any alliance and going it alone in the next assembly election to be held in early 2018.

The IPFT immediately expelled all the defecting leaders. In a press conference the party president N C Debbarma claimed that earlier show cause notice were served on them for anti-party activities. However, the state of confusion among the regiol parties came to fore when in reply to a question Debbarma could not spell out their future course of action and did not rule out the possibilities of an alliance.

The state of confusion is equally prevailing among the leaders of the other influential regiol party the Indigenous tiolist Party of Twipra (INPT). They seem to be a disheartened lot as the BJP leaders who earlier extended good hospitality is now avoiding them. Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawal, president and Jagadish Debbarma, general secretary of the party went to Delhi early this month, stayed there for several days but could not meet either the home minister Rajth Singh or the BJP president Amit Shah.

The INPT central executive that met here on Sunday reviewed the situation and decided to concentrate more on strengthening their organisation in the state keeping the alliance issue pending.