Guwahati: The Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), both supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, will unite on July 2.
This action is being taken in advance of the state’s upcoming assembly elections in 2019.
Jibanjoy Reang, vice-president of IPFT, announced at a news conference on Saturday in Agartala that “after much deliberation, we have chosen to unite with TIPRA Motha at a programme in Agartala on July 2 to realise the aim of establishing Greater Tipraland.”
The TIPRA Motha, led by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, calls for the creation of an independent state for Tripura’s native population. The newly created party, which ran directly against the ruling BJP-IPFT coalition and won 18 of the 28 seats in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections held in April 2021 on the platform of “Greater Tipraland,” swept the elections.
Earlier in March, Royal scion and TIPRA Chairman Motha Pradyot Kishore Debbarman stated that if national parties do not agree to make a written commitment for the party’s central demand, “Greater Tipraland,” his party would prefer to fight the electoral battle alone in the upcoming assembly elections.
The ruling BJP now has 11 indigenous MLAs representing the 20 reserved seats, while IPFT, a minor ally, has eight. Indigenous votes are a crucial factor in the remaining 15 seats.