Tripura polls: Tipra Motha plans to contest in 40-45 seats

Nearly 2,000 CPI (M), Congress supporters joined Tipra Motha on Tuesday

Pradyot Deb Barma, the Chief of Tipra Motha, a forum of regional parties in Tripura, on Tuesday said that his party would give tickets to non-tribal candidates too as it plans to contest in at least 40 to 45 seats in the Assembly elections slated for next month.

"Our fight is not between tribals and non-tribals, Hindus and Muslims, Bengalis and non-Bengalis...Our fight is for the people of Tripura and to make sure that a regional party can form the government to accomplish our objectives. We will give tickets to non-tribals too," Deb Barma told reporters on Tuesday during a function in which nearly 2,000 supporters of CPI (M), Congress, and other parties joined Tipra Motha.

Also Read | CPI(M) keen to rope in Tipra Motha ahead of polls in Tripura

The announcement came a day after he stated that Tipra Motha would not compromise on its demand for Greater Tipraland for the indigenous Tripuris. "We want a constitutional solution to the demand. At the same time we are in favour of a law also to protect the Bengalis living in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas," he said.

The TTAADC has 20 of 60 Assembly seats but Tuesday's announcement made it clear that Tipra Motha is trying to reach out to the non-tribals too, outside TTAADC. "We will put up candidates where we can win. We will not fight to divide votes and help others," he said.

Sources said that Deb Barma's announcement also suggested that Tipra Motha is preparing to contest the elections without an alliance with the national parties. "We are saying this again today that we will join hands only if there is a written assurance regarding the Greater Tipraland," he said.

"If TMC can win in Bengal, if Biju Janata Dal can form a government in Odisha, if KCR can rule in Telangana, why not Tipra Motha in Tripura? The national parties will come and make big big promises before the elections and go away after winning. I have a home here and I can't flee," he said.

The CPI (M) and Congress recently appealed to Tipra Motha for an alliance to wrest power from BJP.

Targeting BJP, Deb Barma said, "They talk about Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas...but not a single Muslim candidate will be given a ticket. They did not give a ticket to a Muslim candidate out of the 400 seats in Uttar Pradesh, will they give one in Tripura having only 60 seats?"

He also appealed to workers of CPI (M) and Congress to join Tipra Motha as his party can only protect them from violence by BJP workers. "They have not been able to touch our workers. Because we know how to protect our workers...," he said.

Deb Barma had also written to the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the BJP to join hands and fight the elections together. "They have not replied to me yet. Probably they are having a discussion with BJP first," he said.