By Firstdespatch Desk Jul 27, 2023
Agartala, July 27 (FD) Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who led the BJP to power earlier this year, expressed confidence that the ongoing problems in the neighboring state of Manipur will be resolved in due course. In an exclusive interview with PTI, Saha also highlighted the BJP's successful inroads into the tribal belt, which was previously under the iron grip of the Tipra Motha tribal outfit, which was facing its own internal issues.
Chief Minister Saha acknowledged the ethnic clashes in Manipur, stating that such troubles have occurred before but that he is optimistic about a solution. The Manipur situation has garnered attention in Tripura, leading to demonstrations by Kuki and other tribes in the Jampui hills protesting the violence.
Recently, protests erupted in Tripura's Jampui hills, with Kuki and other tribal communities demonstrating against the violence in Manipur. The four-year-old Tipra Motha, led by Prodyut Manikya Debbarma and Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, has been in talks with both the Tripura government and the Centre, demanding a tribal-controlled Greater Tipraland and increased autonomy and funds for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), which the party currently controls.
Despite these ongoing negotiations, Chief Minister Saha is confident that the situation will not affect the BJP's prospects in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. He believes that the voter base of Tipra Motha might be eroding due to internal dissensions, and the BJP is gaining entry into tribal areas with the support of various tribal organizations.
In the 60-member Tripura assembly, Tipra Motha secured 13 seats and nearly 20 percent of the votes cast, playing a decisive role in the BJP's success in the three-cornered elections. The BJP has been strategically working among tribal communities, along with the RSS, to expand its influence in the state. The Congress and CPI (M) also have their own foothold in the tribal areas, with the Left Party being led by respected tribal leader Jitendra Choudhury.
Rumors have surfaced about Tipra Motha possibly joining the BJP government in a "peace" deal, but Chief Minister Saha denied any current proposal while keeping the door open for future negotiations, saying, "In politics, everything is possible."
Confident in his party's performance, Saha, a former dental surgeon turned politician, assured that the BJP would secure victory in both of Tripura's Lok Sabha seats, one of which is reserved for tribals. He attributed the party's success to the Prime Minister's Act East policy, which has led to numerous infrastructure projects in the region. Notably, the BJP has been showcasing its highway and railway construction, including a new railway line that will significantly reduce travel time to mainland India by passing through Bangladesh.
The BJP's efforts to improve connectivity in the region with projects like roads from Sabroom in Tripura to Chittagong and the railway line through Bangladesh have been well received. Chief Minister Saha believes that these initiatives will not only provide better connectivity to Southeast Asia and Kolkata but also strengthen the party's position in the upcoming elections.
As the BJP-led government in Tripura looks ahead with optimism, the resolution of Manipur's problems and the party's prospects in the 2024 Parliamentary elections will undoubtedly shape the political landscape in the Northeastern region. FD SB JK