LOOKEAST

LOOKEAST REPORT

The BJP has made a mistake allying with IPFT in Tripura and the results are starting to show pretty too soon.

After demolishing the 25-year-old Left regime, the saffron party now has another battle to win, this time with its partner.

The BJP and its alliance partner IPFT(NC) in Tripura, a separatist tribal party, have successfully breached the 25-year-old communist fort in the state. The alliance won 43 seats with the BJP securing a majority on its own by bagging 35 seats. Together they bagged 50.5 per cent of votes in the state, a mandate totally unexpected for any alliance except the Left Front till some days ago. The IPFT(NC) has secured two berths in the cabinet to be headed by Biplab Deb, the new chief minister of Tripura.

Barely 24 hours after the Tripura results were declared there were first signs of a fissure in the alliance. The BJP’s tribal ally, the IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), demanded that the next Chief Minister of the state should be a tribal

However, the winning alliance already seems to be treading into murky waters as the IPFT(NC) chief NC Debbarma already made headlines with his demand for proportionate representation of party MLAs in the Cabinet and allocation of major departments to them. The demand for the creation of a separate state, Twipraland, is another issue that is gaining ground. According to Debbarma, it is the topmost priority that helped his party win in the crucial tribal belt.

Barely 24 hours after the Tripura results were declared there were first signs of a fissure in the alliance. The BJP’s tribal ally, the IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), demanded that the next Chief Minister of the state should be a tribal.

File image of supporters of IPFT shouting slogans during a national highway blockade. © Getty Images

The demand came even as Tripura BJP chief Biplab Deb, the next CM, took out a victory road show through his Assembly constituency, Banamalipur in Agartala, accompanied by his wife and thousands of supporters.

IPFT president N C Debbarma made the demand for a tribal CM at a meeting at the press club, which was reportedly called without the knowledge of its ally BJP.

Debbarma said, “The outcome of the elections, the thumping majority that the BJP and IPFT got, would have simply not been possible without the tribal vote.

The BJP-IPFT gov’t led by CM Biplab Kumar Deb has already sworn in but the N.C Debbarma led IPFT have begun their mass extortion business targeting offices, small businesses and the general public across Tripura, pressurising them to donate money in the name of organizing “Delhi Chalo” movement.

As of now, the New CM Biplab Kumar Deb faces the daunty task of keeping a tight vigilance over the IPFT, together with living up to the expectations of the thousands of people of Tripura who have put their faith in the BJP-IPFT alliance in the desperate hope of permanent relief from the money extortion business.

The TIWN has furnished documents which include extortion demands via handwritten letters of Rs 15,000/- on 8th March by Shivaji Debbarma, IPFT Organizing Secretary, followed by Yubak Kishore Jamatia, Divisional Secretary (Mobile No. 7085540148), followed by Rs. 20,000/- demand by President IPFT South Amarpur Division, Gomati District on 6th March.

New CM Biplab Kumar Deb faces the daunty task of keeping a tight vigilance over the IPFT, together with living up to the expectations of the thousands of people of Tripura who have put their faith in the BJP-IPFT alliance in the desperate hope of permanent relief from the money extortion business

Reliable sources of the TIWN added that from 6th March onwards the IPFT has started this illegal money extortion not sparing even schools, even while Victory Celebrations were in full swing to commemorate the historic win of the BJP-IPFT alliance against the Communist stronghold.

At such a crucial juncture it is highly prerogative for the new Gov’t led by Biplab Kumar Deb to come out strongly and give a firm message against these illegal activities that can be termed as nothing short of plain vandalism.

Failure to do so immediately, might result in mass dissatisfaction and before long the CPM leaders will utilise this fatal flaw to shift the loyalties of the people back to square one.

BJP leaders should not forget that even though CPI-M party has lost the election, it has still managed to get 42% of vote shares and unless the IPFT is brought under tight control, its unruly cadres may wipe out BJP’s goodwill in Tripura.

It’s worth mentioning here that only a couple of days back the BJP has learnt a good lesson, as in the UP by-polls it lost two crucial seats to Samajwadi Party, though only a year back, Team NaMo had recorded a historic win.

Unless the BJP leaders including Sunil Deodhar and Biplab Kumar deb take strong  corrective measures to put an immediate end to this extortion racquet, it is certain that the BJP will have a taste of its own blood in the forthcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. ■