Agartala, February 6:
Cracks within Tripura’s ruling NDA alliance widened sharply on Friday as junior partner TIPRA Motha launched a strong attack on the BJP-led state government over the alleged inclusion of Sixth Schedule areas under the newly notified Bishramganj Nagar Panchayat, calling it an “illegal encroachment” on the authority and land of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
The confrontation, coming barely two months ahead of the crucial TTAADC elections, has heightened political tensions and highlighted growing mistrust between the alliance partners.
TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, along with TTAADC Chief Executive Member Purna Chandra Jamatia, former CEO C.K. Jamatia and senior party leaders, met Sepahijala district officials led by SDM Bishramganj Binky Saha at the government Dak Banglow. The delegation sought clarification on boundary demarcation, alleging that nearly 30 per cent of the notified municipal area overlaps with ADC jurisdiction.
After the meeting, Pradyot, also chairman of the Advisory and Administrative Reforms Committee of the TTAADC, accused the administration of operating without proper maps and relying on “natural boundaries” and voter lists to justify the expansion. He warned that such actions violated constitutional protections under the Sixth Schedule.
“We will not allow even an inch of ADC land to be taken illegally. If required, affected people will move court through a PIL, and we will support them fully,” he said.
Without naming the BJP, Pradyot alleged that the government was continuing “old communist-era policies,” adding that while regimes had changed, the mindset had not.
Rejecting claims of political motivation, he urged people not to see the issue through a tribal–non-tribal lens, calling it a fight for constitutional rights and survival.
SDM Binky Saha, however, admitted that no official map clearly demarcating Gram Panchayat and Village Committee areas could be produced during the meeting. She said the district administration would approach the Directorate of Land Records and Settlement for a joint ground demarcation exercise, while maintaining that only Gram Panchayat areas were included in the Nagar Panchayat.
Earlier, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha downplayed the controversy, insisting no ADC land had been included and accusing “some people” of creating confusion.
The conflicting claims have intensified speculation of mounting friction within the BJP–TIPRA Motha alliance, with Bishramganj emerging as a fresh political flashpoint ahead of the ADC polls.
