BJP declares alliance with IPFT in Tripura

Assam Finance Minister and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday officially declared Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance with Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) for the upcoming Tripura Assembly Elections.

While attending a presser at the Agartala town hall,Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "BJP and IPFT have decided for alliance and seat sharing in the upcoming election. IPFT will contest from nine seats out of the 20 Scheduled Tribe reserved seats. BJP will be contesting from remaining 51 seats."

Sarma, in presence of BJP state president Biplab Kumar Deb and central observer Sunil Deodhar, informed that the alliance is BJP's assurance on socio, cultural, economic and linguistic development of the tribal people. The final common minimum programme draft with IPFT shall be published soon.

He added, "As of now BJP has closed the door for other parties though individually anyone with winning possibility may join and contest with a BJP symbol because too many symbols confuse the voters."

On the issue of the separate tribal state Twipraland the Assam Minister who also is the BJP Tripura election in charge said, "BJP believes in 'ek' Tripura, 'shrest' Tripura and we are for the socio-economic, cultural and linguistic development and once we come to power there shall be no demand for separate Twipraland."

As per the BJP leader, the Twipraland issue is raised by the CPIM party as they have had no other agenda on development to bring before the people and are frustrated since they have realised that this time it will not be possible to divert the people to issue like insurgency and such issues.

Sarma further suggested CPIM state secretary Bijan Dhar and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to think something new, forgetting the old vintage formula to divide people spreading rumours against the BJP and raising small parties against it.

Meanwhile, CPIM has been targeting the IPFT-BJP alliance by terming it 'unholy and musk of the militants'.

Congress leader and Tripura election-in-charge Bhupen Bora recently hinted that his party is likely to contest alone from all 60 constituencies as TMC and other tribal parties are demanding more seats and which is not acceptable.