IPFT to fight alone in Tripura assembly election next year

AGARTALA: With the BJP refusing to accept their demand for a separate state for tribals, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) has decided to go alone in the upcoming assembly elections to be held early next year. IPFT president NC Debbarma said on Wednesday the party has had a two-day convention which ended on Tuesday night where detailed discussions were held on election strategies and the ongoing political situation of the state where IPFT is inevitably blamed for any violence in the state by the ruling CPM.
Leaders of 29 divisional committees have resolved tooth and nail to fight against CPM in the state convention, he said. “We have decided to counter the malicious campaign of CPM against us and their communal politics. IPFT is not going to compromise on its demand for a separate state of Twipraland under any circumstance. If required we shall contest the election alone to defeat the leftists,” Debbarma stated.Debbarma further said the party was long expecting an alliance with the BJP but there has been no progress in the deal as the BJP has not yet responded to their demand for Twipraland.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Biplab Deb said if IPFT drop their demand for a separate state, talks can be held on a prospective alliance and seat-sharing issues for the ensuing assembly elections. He urged IPFT to drop their demand as division of opposition votes will not have fruitful consequences. “The division of land and among people will not lead towards development and BJP being a national party will not compromise with any regional party with such a demand,” Deb said.
He added that the tribal areas autonomous district council has not been able to enjoy due benefits for more than two decades due to ill motives of the CPM-led government. If the BJP is allowed to form the state government the ADC will be lifted to an autonomous state council, he said.
Referring to the unsolved murder of TV journalist Shantanu Bhowmik on September 20, IPFT president Debbarma said the CPM has a proclivity to incite communal tension in the state and then blame the IPFT. “The police never take appropriate steps to arrest the culprits. We, being the accused in the Shantanu Bhowmik murder case, have been demanding a CBI probe but it is the CPM who has been opposing it.” Debbarma said.