Tipra Motha Head Advises Cong To Introspect Tripura Loss; 'Can't Ignore Tribal Population'

The BJP has won the Tripura assembly election 2023 with a clear majority (32 of 60 constituencies) and is set to form a government in its second term. Trailing the BJP was the Tipra Motha Party, which emerged as the second-largest party with wins in 13 constituencies.

Its leader Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma reflected on the victory saying that he is ready to work as the opposition. He also advised Congress to introspect its loss in the northeastern states and that the grand old party should listen to regional voices.

"One thing I would like to reiterate is that you cannot ignore the tribal population of Tripura and talk about the development of the entire state," Debbarma said during the post-result press conference.

"The indigenous people of Tripura have overwhelmingly voted for us and you can see that in the numbers. And I hope that the government in the Centre and the state and the opposition parties also realise that the genuine grievances of the tribal need to be addressed as soon as possible."

I was no use to them: Tipra Motha chief

"The AICC should rethink why I left the Congress party. Today, Congress got three seats and I've got 13 seats. So the Congress party needs to introspect why people like Pradyot left the Congress party. I didn't leave to join any other party. I left to create my own party...and Congress thought that I was of no use at that time," the Tipra Motha chief said. 

"Maybe Congress made a mistake somewhere but nevertheless, I still congratulate the Congress party. When I was the President during the Lok Sabha elections, Congress led in 11 seats. Unless Congress allows regional voices to rise... it will suffer at the ground level," he added.  

Although Debbarma stated that he is ready to work as the opposition leader, the BJP is open to an alliance. The saffron party has, however, clarified that it would not accept the idea of an autonomous Greater Tipraland for the indigenous people, a demand by the Tipra Motha.