Agartala: Tipra Motha founder and Member of the District Council (MDC) Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Sunday asserted that his party could not be defeated in the forthcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, likely to be held in April 2026.

He also issued a direct political challenge to Chief Minister Manik Saha.

Debbarman addressed a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a 500-seat community hall in the Takarjala-Jampuijala TTAADC constituency. He said Tipra Motha would not compromise on indigenous land rights or language issues.

He stated that his party’s political struggle was centred on community interests rather than party considerations.

Debbarman said Tipra Motha was willing to engage in discussions on what he described as genuine issues affecting the people, including education, health, and the Roman script.

However, he alleged that attention was being diverted towards religious identity-related issues, which, according to him, did not address the core concerns of the indigenous population.

He asserted that the party would not accept any dilution of indigenous identity and reiterated claims over land and state rights.

Criticising the leadership of the Tripura BJP, Debbarman alleged that its leaders merely conveyed the views of the party’s central leadership instead of independently raising local issues.

He said Tipra Motha leaders, during their visits to Delhi, attempted to present the grievances of the indigenous communities before the authorities concerned.

He further alleged that there were attempts to interfere with the cultural and religious practices of indigenous communities in the state and urged people to remain conscious of their identity.

Debbarman said he would be leaving for Delhi shortly for official engagements.

Although Tipra Motha and the BJP are allies in the state government, the two parties are political rivals in the TTAADC.

The upcoming elections to the autonomous council, which governs Tripura’s tribal areas, are expected to witness a direct contest between the two parties, making it a closely watched bipolar political battle.

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