No backer for separate state demand, IPFT to go it alone

The IPFT, an anti-left tribal based party, today said it has decided not to forge alliance with any party for the Assembly election due next year as none agreed to their demand for a separate tribal state.
The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura has long been campaigning for a separate Twipraland for tribals by carving out the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.
"No political party in the state has agreed to the separate state demand raised by our party. So, we have decided to contest elections alone and would not forge alliance with any party," IPFT president N C Debbarma told reporters.

Tribals form one third of the state's population of 37 lakh and the demanded Twipraland would constitute two third of the state's territory.
The elections for the 60-member Assembly is due in February next year. In the 2013 election, the CPI-M won all the 20 seats reserved for tribals.
Debbarma said his party was waiting since July this year for other parties to support the separate state demand but in vain.
The IPFT president said a party delegation led by him had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh last week in Delhi and demanded a tripartite talk on Twipraland for which they have been campaigning since 2009.

Singh, he said, assured the delegation that a letter would be sent to the government of Tripura for their opinion on tripartite talks.