Tension continues among ruling allies in Tripura

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: Uneasiness is prevailing among the two partners in the ruling coalition of Tripura, the BJP and INPT, as the later is threatening to revive their agitation demanding a separate State while the former has failed to reach into a decision about how to react to it.

The BJP core committee had a meeting last night to review the situation and according to sources, the tribal members of the committee was demanding to snap the alliance and to remove two ministers from the IPFT. Despite a prolonged meeting, the party failed to reach any decision and lastly the Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb who is also the State president of the party reportedly told the members that he will discuss the matter with the Central leaders before reaching to a final decision.

According to sources, he has already taken up the matter with the Central leaders who have advised him to wait and the General Secretary of the party Ram Madhab may visit the State shortly to sort out the problem with the IPFT.

The crisis has the sequel to the recent tussle over filing of nominations for the by-election of over three thousand vacant seats of the panchyat where the two parties failed to reach into any understanding. Mangal Debbarma, spokesman of the IPFT, in a press conference alleged that despite an understanding about friendly contest their candidates were prevented to file nomination in various places by the BJP activists.

He demanded postponing of election in blocks where their candidates could not file nomination and issuing fresh notification. He said they are not thinking of breaking the alliance at the moment but not averse to the option if the BJP continues with their big brotherly attitude. The IPFT also had a special meeting presided over by their president Narendra Chandra Debbarma who is also the revenue minister and in a statement said they have decided to revive the agitation demanding separate State which is considered to be significant.