“No more middlemen in tribal council”: Tripura CM pitches direct BJP governance

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on April 7, said the BJP aims to directly work for the welfare of indigenous people in tribal council areas by removing the “middleman.”

 

Addressing a rally at Ampinagar for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections, Saha said the BJP government has been consistently working for the development of tribal communities. He added that for the first time, a “nationalist party” is poised to form the council board at Khumulwng.

 

Launching a sharp attack on ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), the Chief Minister accused it of interfering in governance and failing to deliver for indigenous people. He questioned the need for intermediaries, saying the BJP is capable of directly serving the tribal population.

 

Saha alleged that TMP has been enjoying the benefits of being part of the BJP-led coalition while behaving like the opposition. He also claimed that the regional party would “vanish” after the elections.

 

Highlighting the poll atmosphere, he said incidents of violence have been reported from several locations since the announcement of elections and alleged that BJP leaders and workers were attacked. Despite this, he asserted that such incidents would not deter the BJP from forming the council.

 

Referring to remarks by TMP founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, Saha said criticism against him stems from his exposure of what he termed the “deceptive politics” of the regional leadership.

 

The elections for the 28-member TTAADC will be held on April 12, with counting scheduled for April 17.