Tribal politics shapes Tripura as BJP consolidates indigenous base

AGARTALA: Tribal politics, which has traditionally played a decisive role in Tripura's electoral process, continued to shape the state's political landscape in the outgoing year, with the ruling BJP focusing on consolidating its organizational base among indigenous communities while gradually reducing its dependence on tribal-based allies, particularly the Tipra Motha Party (TMP).

Ahead of early next year's elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the most important constitutional body after the Tripura Legislative Assembly, tribal-based politics has intensified across the state.

Since 2021, the TMP has been governing the politically significant 30-member TTAADC, which covers nearly two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km geographical area and is home to over 12.16 lakh people, about 84 per cent of whom belong to indigenous communities.

In the run-up to the TTAADC polls, all major political parties, including the ruling BJP, its allies TMP and the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), and opposition CPI (M) and Congress, have intensified efforts to consolidate their support among tribals, who constitute nearly one-third of Tripura's 4.2 million population.

To lessen its reliance on tribal-based parties -- TMP and IPFT -- the BJP has, since early this year, stepped up organizational activities in tribal-dominated areas. Both TMP and IPFT are currently allies of the BJP.

As part of this strategy, the BJP on July 17 organized a key meeting titled 'Janajati Chintan Shivir', bringing together elected representatives and organizational leaders from indigenous communities.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, state BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, former MP Rebati Tripura, all tribal MLAs, TTAADC members, and other tribal leaders attended the day-long conclave.

Senior tribal leader and BJP state general secretary Bipin Debbarma claimed that around 14,000 people, mostly from indigenous communities, had joined the BJP over the past three to four months. (IANS)

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