Tripura Ex Royal's Party In "Secret Understanding" With...: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today alleged that Tipra Motha has a "secret understanding" with the Congress and the CPI(M), and that the newly formed regional party is "trying to bring back Communist rule in the state by misleading indigenous people".

Banking on its stupendous performance in the 2021 Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls, Tipra Motha, headed by former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, has decided to go solo in the February 16 assembly elections but the party has not ruled out the possibility of a post-poll alliance with any party that supports its Greater Tipraland statehood demand.

Tipra Motha has decided to contest 42 of the 60 constituencies in Tripura. There are around 20 tribal-dominated seats, and these hold the key to power in the northeastern state.

"Voting for Tipra Motha means supporting the CPI(M ), and supporting Congress means voting for Communists...giving mandate to the Communists means bringing back the days of unrest.

"You have seen the performance of the Communists and the Congress... They have ruled the state for 50 years, yet there was no development. They never respected tribals, never thought about 'janjati' (tribal) welfare. Tipra Motha is trying to bring back Communist rule in Tripura by misleading indigenous people," Mr Shah said while addressing a rally in Santirbazar area in South Tripura.

Claiming that Tipra Motha has a "secret understanding" with the CPI(M) and the Congress, Mr Shah urged the people to repose faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of indigenous people in the next five years.

He said that two BJP chief ministers in the last five years have ensured security of Tripura, which was earlier witnessing cross-border infiltration and militancy.

"The Congress has given you 'andhakaar' (darkness), but we (BJP) have given you 'adhikaar' (rights). The Left Front and the Congress used to do corruption and now both are together, but nobody can level allegation of a single scam against the BJP," he said.

According to the seat adjustment, the CPI(M) will contest 43 seats, and its Left Front partners Forward Block, RSP and the CPI one each. The Congress will contest 13 seats.

Mr Shah also claimed that the Narendra Modi government has ensured development of the Northeast, ending years of neglect.

"The Northeast, especially Tripura, was known for insurgency, blockades, drug-trafficking, corruption and infiltration... Modiji made serious efforts to bring back peace in Tripura by signing a peace agreement with NLFT. As many as 40,000 Brus have been resettled," he said.

Addressing another rally in Khowai later in the day, the Union Home Minister said that the BJP forced over 9,000 terrorists to surrender across the Northeast.

"The northeastern region is on the path of development; airports, roads are being built, railways tracks are being laid under the BJP rule," he said.

"We have brought peace and prosperity to Tripura in the last five years. But these five years are not enough... The journey has to continue. If Tripura can develop, it can do so only under the BJP. Through our policies, we have ensured social and economic upliftment of every section of the society," he said.

Mr Shah, who arrived in Tripura on Monday, will take part in a road show in Banamalipur constituency in Agartala.

The election to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16 and counting will take place on March 2.

The BJP has fielded candidates in 55 seats, while its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) has put up candidates in five constituencies.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)