Agartala: At a time when BJP is desperately trying to stitch a post-poll alliance with TIPRA Motha to return to power for the second time in Tripura, the Chairman of the latter party and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Friday trained gun against BJP for financial blockade in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC).
Pradyot alleged the state government has so far released only Rs 366.65 Cr in the current fiscal against the approved budget of Rs 5,536 Cr, which is the lowest in five years. He said the highest sum of funds was released in the fiscal year 2020-21 when Left Front was in power at the ADC although the state was under BJP’s rule.
Releasing a report, he pointed out, despite tall claims of development, the state never approved the ADC’s budget placed before it for funding as per law. In 2018-19, ADC council passed a budget worth Rs 889 Cr and the state approved Rs 564 Cr.
In 2019-20, it was Rs 976 Cr against which only Rs 539 Cr was released. In subsequent years, Rs 585 Cr and Rs 568 Cr were released against the budget of Rs 1048 Cr and Rs 1042 Cr.
In the current fiscal, the TIPRA Motha-led ADC administration passed a budget of Rs 5,536 Cr but the state government didn’t release even 10 per cent of the allocation, Pradyot alleged and added that the state government always making tall claims of development of indigenous people, reality speaks the reverse.
TIPRA Motha is claimed to be the determinant of the formation of the next government for which the assembly election is held and the result is scheduled on March 2.
Although Pradyot made it clear that he would prefer to sit in opposition unless any party gives in writing to fight for Greater Tipraland, BJP leaders are reportedly persuading Pradyot’s mother Bibhu Kumari Devi for a post-poll alliance with Motha.
However, CPI-M which is claiming to be the single largest party in the election announced that they want to take TIPRA Motha and Congress along with them for the formation of the new government even if they win majority seats.
The party also stated that it would undertake all steps to ensure greater autonomy and the liberty proposed in 125th amendment bill of the constitution.
“The BJP’s rule in five years made a disaster for Tripura and destroy the communal harmony and friendship but we want to restore it with all our people and parties other than saffron even if there are ideological differences,” said CPI-M State Secretary Jitendra Choudhury.
