Agartala: In Tripura, political alliances—like that between the BJP and Tipra Motha—often prioritise convenience over ideology. Despite their alliance on paper, frequent clashes—such as a recent attack reportedly engineered by TIPRA Motha members that left a BJP leader injured—highlight ongoing tensions.
A fresh flashpoint between the two parties has emerged: the Tipra Motha, led by royal scion Pradyot Deb Barma, has demanded control of the Home Department from Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, leaving many in the BJP stunned.
The demand came in the wake of reports of sporadic violence in Khumulwng, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, and adjacent areas.
Police sources said repeated clashes between activists of the BJP and Tipra Motha led to vandalism of party offices, arson, and a targeted attack on a BJP worker’s residence. Tipra Motha did not deny its involvement in the series of violent incidents; rather, it blamed the BJP for instigating the unrest.
To restore calm, police and TSR personnel were deployed in the Khumulwng area to prevent further escalation.
Leaders from both parties, including Chief Minister Saha, visited Khumulwng on Friday to take stock of the situation and meet workers who had been at the receiving end of the violence.
Speaking to reporters, Saha blamed the CPI(M) for what he termed an “imported culture of violence” in the state. Condemning Thursday’s attacks in Khumulwng, he alleged that the roots of arson, terror, and political intimidation lay in the long Communist tenure in Tripura.
Saha visited the homes of BJP workers that were vandalised, interacted with affected families, and reviewed the damage.
He said a woman had been “brutally tortured” and that valuables, including jewellery and cash, had been looted. Household items such as furniture and appliances were smashed.
He said repeated incidents of politically motivated violence were unacceptable and assured that strict action would follow. The Chief Minister urged people to reject the “communist mindset”, asserting that nothing could be established through force.
BJP general secretary Bipin Debbarma, along with mandal presidents and other leaders, accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Shortly after the Chief Minister’s visit, Tipra Motha Party leader and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma visited Khumulwng and inspected party offices that had been vandalised or set ablaze.
Launching a sharp attack on the state police, he dared the BJP to allow a Tipra Motha MLA to handle the Home Department, claiming the party could restore law and order within three months.
Tipra Motha, which holds ministerial berths in the BJP-led coalition, is the junior partner in the government.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction over the prevailing law and order situation, he said Tipra Motha was prepared to shoulder greater responsibility.
“If law and order concerns are really growing, let us handle the Home Department. I am not asking for the post for myself. What I mean is that our party is capable of establishing the rule of law within just three months,” he said.
The statement is widely seen as a direct challenge to Chief Minister Saha, who currently holds the Home portfolio. It also implies that, in Tipra Motha’s view, the present dispensation has failed to manage the situation effectively.
Debbarma alleged that police personnel had remained silent spectators when the party office was attacked. “I have been told that when our office came under attack, the police did nothing despite being present. Miscreants affiliated with other political parties seem to be immune to police action. If you look at the sequence of incidents in recent days, it is clear we did not provoke the violence. Our workers were attacked first,” he said.
On alliance dynamics, he said Tipra Motha respected the coalition but would not remain silent when its members were targeted. “We are in the alliance and we respect it. Maharaja (Pradyot) also respects it. But that does not mean we stay silent all the time. We get attacked, and then we are blamed. This is absurd and illogical. One day, we will place everything before the public,” he added.
Debbarma was accompanied by MLAs Biswajit Kalai and Swapna Debbarma.
The series of violent incidents reportedly began after three Tipra Motha workers were thrashed by miscreants shortly after a joining programme attended by Chief Minister Saha. Later, Tipra Motha workers gathered and attacked the BJP party office.
A Tipra Motha Party office at Jirania Khala, a few kilometres from Khumulwng, was reduced to ashes later in the night. The same day, the car of the BJP mandal president came under attack at Takarjala, located near Khumulwng.
Residences of BJP leaders Shahid Debbarma and Mita Debbarma were also ransacked. Tipra Motha leaders alleged that miscreants lobbed low-intensity explosives at the residence of a local party worker.
Political observers blamed the competitive spirit of both parties for the sporadic violence. With the TTAADC elections scheduled for April 2026, both BJP and Tipra Motha have launched intensive campaigns in the hilly areas.
Chief Minister Saha has participated in a series of joint programmes across the ADC areas in recent weeks, leaving the junior ally unsettled. A majority of the inductees, the BJP claimed, were former Tipra Motha workers.
It also needs to be noted that even though Tipra Motha and BJP are allies at the state level, elected BJP representatives in the TTAADC continue to function as the opposition.
Also Read: Scientists discover 13 new bush frog species across Northeast India
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI