BJP president JP Nadda on Monday exuded confidence about retaining power with a two-thirds majority in Tripura in 2023 but remained silent on the demand for a separate state for the tribals.
"After taking stock of the ground situation and discussion with party leaders, our ally and the tribal organisations, I am confident that BJP will form the government for the second term and will get a two-thirds majority. People are happy with the kind of development BJP has done for Tripura and the importance Narendra Modi government has given to the Northeast," Nadda told reporters at Agartala on Monday morning.
Nadda also attacked the Opposition CPM and Congress, charging that the two parties, which were in power for 30 years, failed to solve the insurgency problem and ignored the development of the tribals and the youths.
Nadda, who visited the ancient Tripureswari temple, later addressed a public rally at Khumulwng in West Tripura district, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council (TTADC), having 20 Assembly seats. The elections for the 60-member Assembly in Tripura is slated for early next year. BJP formed its first government in Tripura in 2018 but the internal conflict forced the party to replace Biplab Kumar Deb with Manik Saha as the Chief Minister.
Nadda, who addressed the tribal residents, said that the BJP government gave utmost respect to the tribals by electing Droupadi Murmu as the President.
Silent on separate state:
Nadda, however, remained silent about the demand for a separate state, which is expected to take centre stage in the constituencies under the TTDAC. A separate state is also a demand of the IPFT, an ally of the BJP-led government in Tripura since 2018. Interestingly, IPFT also did not raise its demand for a separate state during its meeting with Nadda on Sunday evening.
TIPRA Motha, a forum of political parties representing the indigenous communities have stepped up their agitation and demand for a separate state. TIPRA Motha is in power in TTDAC. The party chief, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma had earlier told DH that the demand for Greater Tipraland would be their main poll plank. The party would join hands with any party agreeing to their demand.
Nadda later visited Assam and met leaders and Chief Ministers of the Northeast in Guwahati on Monday evening to discuss the preparedness for Assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya slated next year. In Nagaland, BJP has already announced a seat-sharing arrangement with NDPP, a regional party now leading the coalition government. NDPP will contest in 40 seats while BJP will fight in 20. In Meghalaya, the National People's Party (NPP), which now leads the coalition government, has announced that they would not go for any pre-poll alliance. The NPP, however, is part of the NDA.