Anwesha Dash, Pune
Amid the AAP-Congress alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Tripura’s main opposition leader, Pradyot K. Manikya Debbarma of the TIPRA Motha party, met with the state’s Congress chief and senior MLA and recognized the party’s contributions towards safeguarding indigenous rights and interests. Though further details of the meeting are yet to be disclosed, speculations of a potential alliance are rife in the BJP ruled Tripura.
Days after the ruling BJP in Tripura claimed that the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance’s (TIPRA) Motha’s leader, Pradyot K. Debbarma, would be joining the party, the opposition leader met up with Tripura Congress Chief Asish Kumar Saha and Sudip Roy, a senior Congress leader in the state.
None of the involved parties have revealed what the meeting was about, but they have confirmed that the high command will be informed about the possible results of the discussions held between the political leaders. Adding further, Debbarma acknowledged Congress’s contribution to “safeguarding indigenous rights.” The opposition leader said that further discussions in the meeting also involved concerns regarding issues faced by the tribal communities of Tripura and the development of the state.
He also gave the Indian National Congress credit for the formation of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). Debbarma said that the TTAADC was implemented through the initiatives of former Prime-Minister Indira Gandhi, and additional seats for Scheduled Tribes were reserved because of another former Congress PM, Rajiv Gandhi. The TTAADC is an autonomous council that administers the Tiprasa (an indigenous community) majority districts of the state. It was passed to give the indigenous people the right to democratically govern themselves.
Pradyot K. Manikya Debbarma has been a very vocal supporter of indigenous rights and recently made headlines for protesting against the government and demanding a greater Tripaland. He also demanded direct funding for the TTAADC, threatening to “fast unto death.”
Following these demands, the ruling BJP hinted at discussions with the leader, but after the meeting with the Tripura Congress, Debbarma said that “details of the meeting will be conveyed to the screening committee” and “appropriate actions will be taken.”