Agartala: Putting all speculations to rest, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday dismissed reports that legislators of ally Tipra Motha were likely to join the BJP, describing the development as a rumour.
“I have seen the news. I am not aware of it. I think it’s a rumour,” Saha told reporters.
It should be noted that reports of a possible defection from Tipra Motha had been making rounds in the political circles but none of the parties have made any confirmation on the issue.
The Chief Minister made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the BJP state core committee in Agartala. After arriving in the city on Thursday, he went directly to the party office to preside over the meeting attended by senior leaders.
Saha said the meeting discussed several organisational and political issues, including preparations for the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and the by-election to the Dharmanagar assembly constituency.
The meeting was attended by BJP state president and MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, former Union minister Pratima Bhoumik, party state observer Rajdeep Ray, ministers Ratan Lal Nath and Pranajit Singha Roy, former MP Rebati Tripura, and party general secretaries Bipin Debbarma and Bhagaban Das, among others.
Party sources said the leaders also discussed the selection of a candidate for the Dharmanagar by-poll, necessitated following the demise of Assembly Speaker Biswabandhu Sen.
Speaking after the meeting, the Chief Minister said the core committee also discussed strategy for the upcoming TTAADC elections.
The meeting assumed significance amid political speculation that some MLAs from Tipra Motha might join BJP ahead of the council polls.
Responding to questions on alliance dynamics, Saha said Tipra Motha and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) continues to be alliance partners of the BJP.
“It will be decided later whether the BJP will contest the ADC elections alone or together with alliance partners,” he said.
Reiterating confidence in the party’s prospects, the Chief Minister said, “Earlier I said that ‘we’ will win all 28 seats in the upcoming ADC elections.”
Reacting to remarks by Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma that the state could have a Tiprasa Chief Minister and that his party could capture Agartala in the 2028 assembly elections if it performed well in the ADC polls, Saha said such aspirations were part of democratic politics.
“It is good to dream of something. In democracy, anyone can dream,” he said.