IPFT youth leader joins Cong

Agartala: The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura suffered a jolt as its youth wing president Shuklacharan Noatia joined the opposition Congress. Noatia alleged there is no inner party democracy in the IPFT and the party has comprised on the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Noatia, who is also the chairman of Tripura Industries Development Corporation joined the Congress on Monday night hours after IPFT Vice-President Ananta Debbarma joined the Congress. Noatia alleged there is no democracy in IPFT, and three leaders are calling all the shots at the cost of ‘Tipraland demand. “I have quit IPFT since the party has declined to speak up against Citizenship Amendment Bill. If passed, the CAB will damage tribal interests across the country. Congress is directly opposing the legislation. So, we have joined the party,” Noatia said. Tripura Congress president Pradyot Kishore Debbarma welcomed Noatia and other IPFT leaders and said if the voted to power Congress would scrap the Citizenship Amendment Bill. BJP and IPFT are partners in Tripura’s ruling alliance but they are contesting against each other in the two Lok Sabha seats in the state. Elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura – West Tripura and East Tripura – would be held in April 11 and April 18 respectively. (PTI)