Agartala, Apr 8 Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the founder of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), said on Wednesday that he was confident that the people of Tiprasa would vote for his party in the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections.
Polling for the 28 seats of the council will be held on April 12, while counting is scheduled for April 17.
The TMP had won the tribal council elections in 2021 by securing 18 seats in the 30-member body, while the BJP won nine seats and sat on the opposition bench. The governor nominates two members to the council to ensure representation of all tribes in the state.
"The people of Tiprasa have understood that rights are more important than money. Two years have passed, but the Tiprasa accord, which was signed with the Centre and the state in March 2024, has not been implemented yet," he told reporters in Champahower in Khowai district.
The accord, signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, promised the overall socio-economic and linguistic uplift of the indigenous people.
Soon after the agreement, the TMP joined the government led by Chief Minister Manik Saha ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Asserting that the tribal council polls are crucial for indigenous people, Debbarma said he has been fighting for the rights and future of the Tiprasa community and not for "money or personal gain".
Asked if there was any chance to join hands with the BJP in case no party manages to reach the magic figure, Debbarma replied, "I strongly believe the people of Tiprasa will vote for his party in the election."
The TMP is still a partner of the BJP-led coalition government at the state level, but is contesting against the saffron party in the tribal council elections.