In blow to IPFT, leader quits party

Days before the Lok Sabha elections, in a major blow to the IPFT, its Vice President Ananta Debbarma on Monday quit the party and announced his support to the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls.

Tripura Pradesh Congress President Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman, welcoming the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) leader, told the media that Debbarma and many other leaders would support the Congress candidates in the ongoing parliamentary polls to fight against both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally IPFT.

Ananta Debbarma also said that 11 more sub-divisional leaders of IPFT would also support and campaign for the Congress candidates.

"Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday night requested me not to leave the IPFT. The party (IPFT) leaders specially the Forest and Tribal Welfare Minister Mever Kumar Jamatia are running the party in an autocratic style," he said.

"Corruption is also gripping the party leaders," Ananta Debbarma told the media.

In last year's Assembly polls, the BJP and IPFT together won 44 seats in the 60 member House. The IPFT has two Ministers in the BJP-IPFT ministry.

Last month, three important BJP leaders, including Vice-President Subal Bhowmik, joined the Congress.

Polling for Tripura West will be held on April 11 and for Tripura East on April 18.

--IANS

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