By Firstdespatch Desk Jul 17, 2023
Agartala, Jul 17 (FD) In a significant development, princely Tripura’s royal scion and chairman of the state’s main opposition party Tipra Motha has stepped down from his earlier post, but promises to continue as an warrior to achieve the core demand of the party ‘Greater Tipraland’.
In a press conference held here today, Debbarma said the party's constitution was amended recently and there is no space to continue as Chairman and all his responsibilities were handed over to the party president, Bijoy Hrankhawl, an insurgent turned politician.
“I am a warrior and will continue to fight for unity among the ranks and files of the party and achieve greater Tipraland, which is the core demand of the party”, he said.
Debbarma cited the example of the former Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar and said he was not holding any post in the state unit of the party, but playing an important role in the state politics.
“Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are also not holding any party portfolios, but playing an important role as politicians and did not leave the party. Till my blood flows in my body I will fight as a warrior for the unity of the party and achieve our goal”, he said.
In the statement, he said, “As my two-year term as the chairman of the TIPRA Motha Party comes to an end, I am no longer seeking reappointment, and as per our amended constitution, the president shall be the supreme steering post in the party. Hon’ble B K Hrangkhawl will continue to lead the party as the president of TIPRA Motha, and I will now be serving the party as a party member and a warrior!”
Debbarma floated the party in 2021 and in the next year swept the elections for the 30-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.
However, political observers are of the view that many legislators of his party are interested to join the government and hold the posts of ministers on the plea that it would help develop the tribal inhabited areas.
Earlier, the ruling BJP offered them to join the government and hold portfolios of ministers, but he vehemently opposed it on the plea that if any legislator joins ministry would not solve the problems of the tribals, who constitute one third of the state’s estimated 40 lakh populations. FD JK