Tipra Motha Party won Tripura tribal council polls as it stood up for people's rights: Pradyot

Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on April 18 said the party secured a decisive mandate in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls by standing firm on the rights of indigenous people.

The regional party registered a landslide victory in the council elections, winning 24 of the 28 seats. In contrast, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), along with the Indian National Congress, failed to secure a single seat for the second consecutive term.

While the BJP and the CPI(M) are allies in the state government, they contested the TTAADC elections separately. The council administers nearly 70 per cent of Tripura’s geographical area and is home to around 15 lakh people.

“We secured a massive mandate because people understood that TMP stood up for their future and rights, and we did not compromise on core issues,” Debbarma said.

He added that the party’s consistent advocacy for indigenous rights resonated with voters. “People know who genuinely stood for their rights and who resorted to rhetoric,” he said.

On the future of the BJP-TMP alliance following the council polls, Debbarma indicated that both parties may continue as allies at the state level. He also noted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had suggested maintaining a cordial contest in the elections.

Debbarma further said the people were aware of the roles played by various leaders during the CPI(M)’s tenure after the 2018 Assembly elections, adding that such awareness influenced voting decisions.

His remarks come in the backdrop of allegations that the BJP had attempted to poach a minister and some MLAs of the TMP during the council election process, though the effort was unsuccessful.

Earlier, TMP delegation leader Govener Indrasena Reddy Nallu informed that legal consultations were underway regarding a notification linked to the party’s demands. He said the Governor would issue a notification once legal procedures were completed.

Meanwhile, Purna Chandra Jamatia, the outgoing Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the TTAADC, tendered his resignation as the council’s term ended on April 18.