Agartala, August 17: The CPI(M) and Congress in Tripura have stepped up their attack on the BJP–TIPRA Motha alliance, questioning why the parties continue to share power despite the alleged lack of progress on the tripartite agreement signed in March 2024.
CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury described the BJP and TIPRA Motha as “same-boat brothers” and termed speculation over a fresh electoral alliance a political “drama” aimed at misleading voters ahead of the village council elections.
Chaudhury claimed the two parties have been politically aligned since the 2023 Assembly elections and are currently sharing power. He alleged that their occasional public differences were attempts to conceal their failure to fulfil promises made to the people.
“If they really share seats in the village council elections, it is not something new,” Chaudhury said, adding that an open alliance would make the political equations clearer to voters.
Congress MLA and former minister Sudip Roy Barman also questioned the outcome of the tripartite agreement signed on March 2, 2024, between the Centre, Tripura government and TIPRA Motha in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Roy Barman said the agreement had been projected as a time-bound initiative but alleged that no tangible results had emerged. “What is the outcome of the so-called tripartite agreement? Outcome? Zero,” he said.
He argued that if the Centre and state government had failed to honour commitments made to indigenous people, TIPRA Motha should have withdrawn from the government and asked its ministers to resign.
“TIPRA Motha ought to have come out of this government,” Roy Barman said, describing the BJP and TIPRA Motha as “either side of the same coin”.
Asked whether TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma faced any political compulsion, Roy Barman did not specify a reason but said those unafraid of central investigative agencies should openly raise issues concerning indigenous people.
The Opposition criticism comes amid renewed political activity ahead of the village council elections, with both parties questioning the need for a fresh alliance announcement when, they claim, the BJP and TIPRA Motha have effectively been partners since 2023.
