Agartala, February 24, 2024: In a sign of political uncertainty in Tripura, the leaders of Congress and TIPRA Motha parties met on Friday to discuss the possibility of an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The meeting took place in the opposition leader’s room in the Assembly, where the state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, and leader of opposition Animesh Debbarma were present.
The meeting lasted for more than an hour, during which the leaders of the two parties exchanged their views on the political situation in the state and the country. They also discussed the issues of the indigenous people and the development of the state.
According to sources, the TIPRA Motha party, which has a significant support base among the tribal communities, is yet to decide whether to join the India alliance or the NDA alliance. The party is also in talks with the BJP, which is the ruling party in the state. The TIPRA Motha party had earlier met with the CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury, who was also a Lok Sabha candidate.
The Congress, on the other hand, is trying to revive its fortunes in the state, where it has been reduced to a marginal force. The party is hoping to forge a broad anti-BJP front with the regional and secular parties. The state Congress leaders will leave for Delhi on Sunday to attend the screening committee meeting of the party, where they will finalize the candidates and the alliance partners for the Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, MLA Sudip Roy Barman said that the BJP has betrayed the people of the state and the country. He said that the Congress and the TIPRA Motha party have a common agenda of restoring democracy, secularism, and federalism. He said that the meeting was fruitful and cordial, and that more discussions will follow.
Opposition leader Animesh Debbarma said that the TIPRA Motha party has presented its statement to the Congress leaders, and that they will wait for their response. He said that the meeting was focused on the political issues, and that the final decision will be taken by the central leadership of both the parties.
The meeting between the Congress and the TIPRA Motha party has created a buzz in the political circles of the state, as it indicates a possible realignment of forces ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The state has two Lok Sabha seats including one reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.
