Agartala: The Bharatiya Janata Party in Tripura has set its goals clear to end its dependence on regional political parties in the next assembly elections. The party top brass has decided to attain self-reliance in tribal-dominated areas too.
With barely seven months to go for the crucial 2023 elections, the BJP is leaving no stones unturned to ensure that it can increase its number of seats from the existing 11 out of 20 seats reserved for scheduled tribes.
“In 2018, the first BJP government was formed with the support of IPFT. Although we have won the maximum number of seats in the tribal-dominated 20 constituencies, the party high command did not want to take any chance then and relented before IPFT. This time, the BJP Janjati Morcha feels that the party should go alone as in the last four years the party has gathered enough strength in the tribal region,” said a senior party leader.
On being asked whether the BJP would break its alliance with IPFT, the source said, “See, the BJP’s main rival in the hilly seats is TIPRA. Organisational assessment reports have indicated that the fight in the hills will be bipolar: between BJP and TIPRA. The Left and IPFT no longer exist in the fight, and even if they put up a fight, it will be in selected pockets, which are neither important in terms of vote share nor for ensuring an edge in the electoral bout.”
Recently, the BJP has started the membership drive in all the constituencies, and a substantial number of people have joined the saffron brigade leaving CPIM and TIPRA. “The violent overtures of TIPRA are a deterrent for the people who want to be a part of the saffron party. They may be reluctant to join the party officially, but the silent undercurrent of dissent against TIPRA is palpable all over,” he pointed out.
According to the BJP Janjati Mocrha General Secretary Devid Debbarma, messages have been passed saying all should work to achieve the target. “We have come a long way, and if our workers keep working with the same spirit, the party shall do better in the coming days,” he added.
In 2018, the BJP came to power in alliance with the IPFT but the differences between the allies due to turf war keep coming out in the public domain at regular intervals.
Finally, with the rise of TIPRA under the leadership of royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, IPFT’s support base eroded sharply, leading to disastrous poll outcomes in the TTAADC elections held in 2021. E
Even though the BJP could not make wrest power, it came second with ten elected MDCs in the 28-member district council. The present strength of IPFT in the state assembly stands at eight in the sixty-member house, but one of the strongman, MLA Brishaketu Debbarma had joined TIPRA officially. Proceedings under anti-defection law against him are underway. TIPRA, however, will face the first general elections after its formation.