BJP Tripura ally IPFT begins talks for merger with Tipra Motha ahead of elections

Tipra Motha, a forum of regional parties in Tripura, came into being after the anti-CAA agitation in 2020

The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), BJP's regional ally, began talks for a possible merger or alliance with Tipra Motha, a forum of other regional parties, ahead of Assembly elections on February 16. This comes after BJP reportedly refused to give a "written assurance" to Tipra Motha for the demand of a separate Tipraland state for the tribals.

"Met the IPFT leadership yesterday and asked them to consider becoming one party. Time is short and I hope they do the right thing," Pradyot Deb Barma, the chief of Tipra Mothah posted on his Facebook on Sunday morning. "Thansa (unity) will happen," Deb Barma had posted hours before the meeting, triggering speculation that IPFT could quit the alliance with BJP and join hands with Tipra Motha.

Deb Barma recently reached out to IPFT with a proposal for a merger or an alliance to contest the elections with the "common demand" for Tipraland state.

"There is a lot of rumour that Tipra Motha has agreed for an alliance with BJP. But let me make it clear again that be it BJP, CPIM or Congress, we will not form an alliance without a written assurance. We don't want to make the mistake IPFT did in 2018 when they joined hands with BJP based on assurance. We have to give a reply to our people. If required, we will fight alone, whether we win or lose the elections," Deb Barma said in a video posted on Facebook.

The video came a day after Motha chief met BJP leaders including Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss BJP's proposal for an alliance to contest the Assembly elections on February 16.

Tipra Motha came into being after the anti-CAA agitation in 2020 and defeated BJP, IPFT and other parties in the elections of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in March 2021. If Tipra Motha and IPFT join hands, BJP will have no ally in the Assembly polls unlike in 2018. The party is also likely to face a tough contest in at least 20 tribal-dominated constituencies (out of 16) in the TTADC areas.

Motha is planning to put up candidates in at least 40 to 45 constituencies in the Assembly elections.

The Opposition CPI(M) and Congress also joined hands recently and urged Tipra Motha to form an anti-BJP alliance for the Assembly polls. The two parties, however, are against the bifurcation of Tripura.

On Friday, when asked about the alliance in Tripura, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati that BJP wants to fight the elections together with IPFT but the leaders in Tripura would take a call on whether the alliance will continue or not.