Tipra Motha makes a dent in BJP, IPFT's hold in tribal seats

The Tipra Motha snatched all eight seats won by the IPFT and five by the BJP in last election

The Tipra Motha party, which contested its maiden Assembly election in Tripura riding on the demand of the "Greater Tipraland", swept the tribal belt by bagging 13 out of 20 ST seats.

This massive leap by Pradyot Deb Barma’s newly formed party made a huge dent in the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) and BJP’s dominance in tribal seats.

In the 2023 polls, the BJP won 32 seats, and CPI(M) bagged 11 seats. Tipra Motha got 13 seats, while the IPFT and the Congress had to settle for one and three seats, respectively. Going by numbers, the Tipra Motha is the second-largest party in the state now. The total seats in Tripura are 60.

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In the 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 10 seats in the tribal belt, while the IPFT bagged eight and the CPI(M) stood with two seats. The Tipra Motha this time disrupted this ‘calculation’ by campaigning extensively in tribal parts.

The Tipra Motha snatched all eight seats ruled by the IPFT and five of the BJP. The new party has made the tribal belt its stronghold in its maiden election. This is considered to be a big blow for the IPFT as the party had a grip on tribal constituencies and was the first one to raise the demand for Tipraland. However, after joining hands with the BJP, the IPFT, which had created a sentiment among the tribal masses, put its Tipraland demand on the backburner and started emphasising on other issues that went well with the BJP.

The Tipra Motha catpitalised on the gap created by the IPFT's softening Tipraland demand and established itself as an alternative. The Tipra Motha kept the demand for the "Greater Tipraland" at the centre of its campaigning and sent a clear message of not joining hands with either the Congress or the BJP if they oppose this demand.

The party's stunning performance at its debut indicates its promise to continue to fight for "Greater Tipraland" and find a constitutional solution for the rights of Indigenous Tripuris have been well received by tribals in the hill state.