Crisis deepen to Biplab Deb govt in Tripura: A ruling front MLA quit

Agartala: Adding owes to the ongoing crisis of Biplab Kumar Deb led coalition government in Tripura, the MLA of BJP’s partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) elected from 1-Simna (ST) assembly constituency Brishaketu Debbarma tendered his resignation on Tuesday evening from legislative assembly citing his personal ground.

Brishaketu was elected first time with an IPFT ticket from CPI-M stronghold Simna in 2018 but he was not happy with the performance of the government and his party President N C Debbarma and General Secretary Mevar Kr Jamatia - both of them are holding important portfolios in Deb’s government.

He is reportedly joining in royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s party Tipraha indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) that won Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) election in April this year defeating BJP-IPFT combine and CPI-M. After Birshaketu’s resignation, IPFT strength has reduced to seven and BJP is remained at 36.

Allegedly, both Debbarma and Jamatia have been compromising the party interest to secure their chairs and recently Mevar Kr Jamatia has been accused of maintaining clandestine relations with BJP leaders in the process of joining BJP. After winning the ADC ruling TIPRA resorted to continuous attacks on BJP and IPFT workers but surprisingly Chief Minister Deb and IPFT ministers kept quiet.

When hundreds of supporters are being faced with atrocities from TIPRA cadres, top leaders of BJP and IPFT have been found maintaining cordial relationships with TIPRA. The leaders of the parties have been appreciating each other. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister were openly praising TIPRA Chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarman but not uttering against perpetrated attacks on BJP and IPFT, a close associate of Brishaketu alleged.

In turn, Pradyot was also found applauding Biplab Deb and Modi-Amit Shah, alleged another dissident IPFT MLA who is also following the footsteps of Brishaketu adding, “We have been cheated by tall promises of BJP leaders before assembly elections. They made us fraud before the innocent tribals. Not a single poll promise and alliance condition was fulfilled in three and half years of Biplab Deb rule. N C and Mevar are not uttering a single word just to secure their ministerial berth but we can’t.”

He said unless Biplab Kumar Deb is removed immediately from Chief Minister and Manik Saha is not replaced by a competent leader soon who can strongly counter TIPRA and Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, except for N C Debbarma and Mevar, all five IPFT MLAs would join TIPRA to secure their political career. Similarly, as many as nine BJP MLAs have also been waiting for a change of Deb and Saha, otherwise, within a week they would also tender their resignation and move to another party.

The Speaker Rebati Das said that after receiving the resignation letter from Brishaketu Debbarma he had spoken to IPFT Chief N C Debbarma but despite several attempts couldn’t speak to Chief Minister over the development and added, “As per the provision I shall invite him for discussion and he doesn’t agree to withdraw, it will be accepted and process of the by-election will be held in six months.”

Meanwhile, IPFT President and Revenue Minister of the state N C Debbarma was upset with the resignation and said, “We have not been consulted even. It’s unfortunate. The people have voted him to assembly for five years and he is morally duty-bound to serve the voters. But such a sudden decision would have a negative impression about him among the people. The party will sit soon to review the situation.”(UNI)