Agartala: Royal scion of Tripura and Chairman of Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman has filed his nomination for Takarjala – Jampuijala constituency of Sepahijala district yesterday for Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) election slated on April 4 next.
Though Pradyot’s name was not mentioned in the list of contestants, he stepped in after IPFT declared its candidate in the seat followed an alliance with the BJP.
Takarjala is considered a high profile seat as it falls under the jurisdiction of ADC headquarters Khumlung and in the state assembly it is represented by IPFT Chief and veteran tribal leader N C Debbarma.
Pradyot’s entry into Takarjala – Jampuijala constituency is considered a challenge for BJP-IPFT alliance and N C Debbarma in particular.
According to TIPRA leaders, Pradyot Kishore was cheated by IPFT leaders, who stepped back and forged an alliance with BJP within a fortnight of joining TIPRA.
“The IPFT leaders had made open statement against BJP government at the Centre and the state, accusing them of not complying with the poll promises on empowerment of ADC and development of indigenous people of Tripura for which TIPRA agreed to accept them in the platform to fight Greater Tipraland,” alleged a senior leader of TIPRA.
“Maharaja Pradyot Kishore has never worked on communal lines, dividing tribal and non-tribal people. He always fights for the marginalised and deprived sections of the society without any communal bias. But a section of BJP and IPFT leaders have made a deliberate attempt to tag him into tribal politics,” she stated.
“The people of hill today realised how they were cheated in 2018 elections by IPFT and BJP. In last three years, the situation of tribals worsened and none extended any help to the poor people during Covid pandemic except Pradyot Kishore. The top leaders of IPFT are enjoying power and puff having been in the state cabinet, MLAs and other leaders are doing well in their personal front with the help of BJP and the government but nobody thinks about the poor tribals,” she added.
Despite repeated offers from both Congress and BJP to be in the parliament, Pradyot had refrained from entering into electoral politics.
However, the betrayal of IPFT is believed to be the only reason for him to get into the election contest of ADC.
TIPRA has so far announced candidates for 23 of the 28 members council making an alliance with INPT and a few other regional parties.
