Agartala, March 14 Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on Saturday alleged that a conspiracy has been hatched to undermine his party before the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.
Debbarma's allegations came amidst rumors circulating in the state that a section of TMP legislators, including a minister, will join the BJP before the TTAADC elections.
The Tipra Motha has 13 MLAs in the 60-member Tripura Assembly, and two of its legislators are also ministers in the Manik Saha government.
Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday had said that reports of TMP MLA and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma joining the BJP were a rumor.
Addressing a party program at Khumulwng in West Tripura, Debbarma said he has been fighting for the rights of the Tiprasa people for the past two years.
Without naming any leader, he said, "There were reports on attempts being made to split the party, but the conspiracy was actually hatched to undermine Bubagra (king). Those who have made an attempt will get a fitting reply in due course of time."
Highlighting the need to remain united, Debbarma alleged that attempts will be made to divide the indigenous people along the lines of Hindu and Christian or Tripuri (community), Reang or Mog to win the elections.
Debbarma said TMP will announce the list of candidates for TTAADC elections within five minutes of the BJP announcing its aspirants, so that it (BJP) cannot pick any TMP leaders.
The TMP supremo also urged the leaders of the tribal party not to fight among indigenous people in the elections.
"In the 2021 TTAADC election, the TMP had to fight against the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), for which the Tiprasa (tribal) community had to suffer. This time, the stage is set for a battle between the BJP and TMP. We all must ensure that there should not be an electoral battle within the Tiprasa community," he said.
Referring to Chief Minister Manik Saha's announcement of the BJP contesting all the 28 seats of the tribal council in some recent rallies, Debbarma said the TMP is ready to fight against the BJP in all the seats.
"We have not broken the electoral understanding with the BJP, but if the chief minister throws a challenge, we will accept it wholeheartedly. I hope the chief minister will not backtrack later," he said.