Two Tripura tribal parties set to merge

agartala: two powerful tribal parties of the state,tripura upajati juba samity (tujs) and indigenous people's front of tripura are set to formally merge on february 7 floating a new political platform for tribals. the new party is likely to be named as indigenous national party of twipra. members of the tujs central committee will meet on february 2 or 3 at tulshibati school in agartala.the ipft central executive committee is scheduled to meet on february 4 or 5 "if everything goes right we will perhaps declare the emergence of the party on february 7," said a tribal leader. both parties will settle their differences over the nomenclature of the new party which was the major bone of contention. for 35 years the tujs, despite internal strife and desertion of some top leaders,was the most powerful democratic tribal party, posing a challenge to the traditional marxist base in the hills. time and again it changed political equations in the state but also formed coalition ministry with the congress. but for the last four years or so it was dogged by crises as a breakaway group, indigenous people's front of tripura, emerged as the main contender in anti-left tribal politics, allegedly with the help of the outlawed nlft. the ipft not only routed the left front from the traditional red bastion in tribal-dominated areas and then in the adc, but also engineered a steady erosion of the tujs base. meanwhile, the nlft exerted pressure on it to forge a single broadbased tribal party. the new party is a significant development in tripura politics. it will then not only be a formidable force in contesting the left front but will also be in a position to dictate the realignment with non-left parties in state politics in a decisive way.