Agartala: Amid growing friction between ruling allies BJP and TIPRA Motha in Tripura—following a spate of violent attacks on BJP supporters—Union Home Minister Amit Shah met a delegation of TIPRA Motha leaders, led by party founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman in the national capital.
In the past week, TIPRA Motha cadres allegedly disrupted two BJP events: first during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat broadcast on July 27 in Khowai, and then on July 31) in Jampuijala, where several BJP workers were seriously injured and hospitalized. The situation grew tense as BJP’s tribal wing warned of retaliation if such attacks continued.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee, and other party leaders accused TIPRA Motha of orchestrating the assaults and of threatening to block BJP campaigns that invoke the Prime Minister’s name. Against this backdrop, Shah’s meeting with Motha delegation triggered fresh tensions in the state BJP.
Pradyot, however, clarified that the meeting focused on the modalities of the implementation of the tripartite accord signed ahead of the last Lok Sabha elections. BJP’s East Tripura MP, Kriti Devi Singh, also accompanied the Motha delegation during the meeting, further perplexing BJP workers on the ground.
Pradyot said Shah assured him that the Union government remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of the Tiprasa (indigenous tribal people). He also confirmed that TIPRA Motha leaders have been in Delhi for two weeks, during which they met officials from the Election Commission of India, BJP national president and Union Minister JP Nadda, and discussed various issues.
