Agartala:
In what can be seen as a move to woo indigenous votes in the state ahead of the 2023 assembly elections by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the saffron party roped in the Tripura People’s Front (TPF) leader Patal Kanya Jamatia, on March 20.
In a programme held at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan, Agartala, Jamatia was welcomed into the BJP’s fold by chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma, MP Rebati Tripura, MoS Pratima Bhoumik, and BJP chief Manik Saha, among other leaders.
“Biplab Kumar Deb is the first chief minister in Tripura who has been working with honesty and for the development of indigenous people in the state. The BJP is powerful and disciplined, and I joined the party for the development, peace and security of the state’s indigenous people,” she said, addressing the gathering.
The TPF, which was founded to give voice to the indigenous rights movement in Tripura, had earlier fielded candidates in the previous Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections in alliance with Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA). However, due to political differences, both parties split thereafter.
Addressing the assembled crowd at the do, Patal also alleged that more than 15 thousand supporters and workers of her party were supposed to attend her induction programme on Sunday, but TIPRA party supporters, which is now ruling (TTAADC), threatened the TPF workers preventing them from doing so.
“Last night, miscreants backed by the TIPRA motha threatened people of dire consequences if they attended today’s function. Roads have been blocked to prevent supporters and their vehicles were denied entry,” she said
Criticising the vision of Greater Tipraland, one of the primary demands of the TIPRA, Patal said, “My party and the symbol of the party are for the real development of the indigenous people. No one can stop us,” she said, adding that greater unity is necessary for development, not Greater Tipraland.
Meanwhile, terming the day as “historic”, deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev, said, “Indigenous people have come together and have decided to work for development of the state. Patal has joined the BJP because of empowerment of Tiprasa people (Indigenous people)”.
Echoing Dev, chief minister Deb said, “Despite so many obstacles, she came here with a huge gathering. My support is always with you; Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are too with us; the entire nation is also with you.”
Deb said that Patal and he will soon discuss the party’s organisational matter for the development of the state to give the alliance a new direction.
