Tipra Motha chief DebBarma junks Amit Shah's claims of 'secret understanding' with CPI(M)-Congress

Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya DebBarma on Tuesday refuted the allegations of Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the regional outfit has a "secret understanding" with the Congress and the CPI(M) for the February 16 Tripura Assembly election.

Deb Barma alleged that Shah did not understand the Tiprasa sentiment of the indigenous people and also hurt their feelings.

"Whoever wrote the speech for Amit Shah should be sacked for not doing his /her homework! Not only did he not understand the Tiprasa sentiment and hurt our feelings he also sent a wrong message to the people of Tripura that Congress/CPIM and Tipra are in alliance", DebBarma wrote in a Facebook post.

"Those who were scared of voting for Congress and CPI(M) will now become stronger and come out in numbers! This is what we call a self goal in politics", he said.

Shah addressing BJP rallies at Santirbazar in South Tripura district and Khowai in Khowai district on Monday alleged that Tipra Motha has a "secret understanding" with the Congress and the CPI(M), and that the newly formed regional party is "trying to bring back Communist rule in the state by misleading indigenous people".

Read | Tripura Assembly polls: Tipra Motha chief won't contest on Feb 16

"Voting for Tipra Motha means supporting the CPI(M), and supporting Congress means voting for Communists...giving mandate to the Communists means bringing back the days of unrest.

"You have seen the performance of the Communists and the Congress...They have ruled the state for 50 years, yet there was no development. They never respected tribals, never thought about 'janjati' (tribal) welfare. Tipra Motha is trying to bring back Communist rule in Tripura by misleading indigenous people," Shah said while addressing a rally in Santirbazar area in South Tripura.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had also attacked Tipra Motha at a rally in Khowai district’s Krishnapur saying that giving vote to Tipra Motha is like "giving mandate to CPI(M)".

Read | The Tuesday Interview | No post-poll alliance too without written assurance on Greater Tipraland: Deb Barma

Banking on its stupendous performance in the 2021 Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls, Tipra Motha, headed by former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Deb Barma, has decided to go solo in the February 16 Tripura Assembly elections but the party has not ruled out the possibility of a post-poll alliance with any party that supports its 'Greater Tipraland' statehood demand.

Tipra Motha has decided to contest in 42 of the 60 constituencies in Tripura. There are around 20 tribal-dominated seats, and these hold the key to power in the northeastern state.