Ahead Of Tripura Polls, BJP Ally IPFT Holds Merger Talks With TIPRA

In a significant development ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Tripura, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ally the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) convened a "close door meeting" with party leaders of TIPRA in Guwahati on Saturday.

According to sources, discussions were made on the IPFT’s merger with TIPRA which is led by royal scion and former top Congress leader Pradyot Manikya Debbarman.

Informing about the meeting, Pradyot Debbarma took to twitter and wrote, “Met the IPFT leadership yesterday and asked them to consider becoming one party! Time is short and I hope they do the right thing.”

Met the IPFT leadership yesterday and asked them to consider becoming one party ! Time is short and I hope they do the right thing . pic.twitter.com/WKiv6WkLuG

— Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) January 22, 2023

On Thursday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Pradyot Debbarman in New Delhi. Though CM Sarma sought to downplay its significance, saying Tripura BJP-related matters are being handled by a separate team of the party, Pradyot said that he made his position clear that he will not move away from his demand for a separate state “come what may”.

There are around 20 tribal-dominated seats in the 60-member Tripura assembly. Tipra won the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections in 2021.

Tripura will go to polls on February 16 and counting will take place on March 2. The scrutiny will be done on January 31 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is February 2.

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