The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) is expected to forge an alliance with a new socio-political platform floated by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman in the ensuing elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
Several leaders of the INPT, a traditional ally of the Congress, said they would partner with a party which has more rsonance among the indigenous society. Mr. Debbarman, son of State’s last King Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya, recently floated the TIPRA meaning indigenous or native people.
Mr. Debbarman last year resigned as president of the State Congress and from the party amid differences with the central leadership over some critical issues concerning the tribal population.
Sources said the TIPRA would involve in electioneering of the TTAADC though it has not yet made its political intention public. Some followers of the IPFT, a coalition partner of the BJP and other indigenous groups, have joined it.
If the INPT joins hands with the TIPRA, the Congress will virtually be left with no partner but contest the TTAADC elections alone. The BJP has also expressed displeasure over the IPFT hard bargaining ploy and announced its readiness to fight the poll without any ally.
Elections to the 28-member TTAADC elections are expected to take place in November next. The scheduled election could not take place earlier due to the pandemic.
The first election, which has limited jurisdiction over the State’s three fourth land, was held in 1982.
