From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Tripura’s ruling ally, Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) has ruled out any threat to the alliance with BJP in the wake of recent attacks, allegedly by supporters of the saffron party, against the regional party’s candidates for the September 30 panchayat byelections in the state.
The party has so far submitted nominations in only 10 rural development blocks out of the 35 but were barred from doing the same in three blocks under Dhalai, North Tripura and Sipahijala districts.
Several Opposition candidates were also threatened against filing nomination papers, the last date for which was on Tuesday, prompting IPFT and the other affected parties to appeal to the State Election Commission to reschedule the three-tier polls in the affected blocks. The outcome of the appeal is awaited.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Saturday, IPFT spokesperson, Mangal Debbarma said the alliance partners had a meeting on Friday evening and decided to iron out differences or misunderstanding if any and to take strict action against party workers not adhering to the orders of the leadership.
“We want to sustain the alliance with BJP because Tripura needs a stable government and economic development in the long run. Our candidates were not allowed to file nominations in three blocks under three districts and attacked by BJP supporters, for which we have conveyed our concern. However, both parties have decided to exercise caution against such activities and take action if needed,” Debbarma, who is also the party’s general secretary, said.
The bypolls to a record number of 3,386 seats in gram panchayats, panchayat samities and zila parishads were primarily necessitated by en masse resignations of members of Left parties.
Official records state that while the BJP has put up 3,381 candidates, ally IPFT has so far fielded only 66.
Congress has put up 125 candidates while CPI-M has fielded 110.
IPFT, it may be noted, plans to launch a statewide movement demanding ‘Tipraland’, a separate state for indigenous communities, soon.