Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarman warned of quitting the BJP-led coalition if the Tiprasa Accord is not implemented in full spirit. He accused the state government of stalling due to power imbalance fears. With 2026 TTAADC elections nearing, tensions between BJP and Tipra Motha are set to escalate.
Fresh political turbulence has struck Tripura as Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman openly warned that his party might withdraw from the ruling coalition if the much-debated Tiprasa Accord is not implemented in its “spirit and form.” The remarks, made on Wednesday, have once again highlighted the simmering friction between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its regional ally.
Debbarman, whose party signed the tripartite agreement with the Centre and the state government earlier this year, accused the Tripura government of deliberately stalling the accord’s implementation. Speaking to a media outlet, he alleged that the state administration fears the accord would tilt the balance of power in favor of the tribal-dominated regions.
“The Union Home Minister has assured me that the Centre is committed to implementing the accord. But since this is a three-party agreement involving the Centre, the state government and Tipra Motha, all have to be on board. While the Centre and Tipra Motha are ready, the state government seems reluctant,” Debbarman said.
Allegations of Deliberate Delay
According to Debbarman, the state government’s hesitation stems from an unfounded belief that empowering the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) would undermine the state’s political balance. He strongly rejected these fears, calling them “baseless and divisive.”
“There is an unfounded perception that strengthening the tribal council will weaken the state’s power structure. But we, the Tiprasa people, are proud Indians. We will never support anything that divides communities or makes one brother fight another simply because of linguistic or cultural differences,” he asserted.
Debbarman maintained that implementing the accord was not just a political promise but a matter of justice for the indigenous communities of Tripura. He praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for recognizing the importance of the issue and urged him to convince those in doubt. “If he succeeds in convincing them, it will be a positive development. Otherwise, continuing in this coalition without the accord’s full implementation would be extremely difficult,” he added.
BJP’s Internal Moves Ahead of Elections
The timing of Debbarman’s remarks has raised eyebrows, particularly as the BJP prepares for the upcoming TTAADC elections in 2026. Just a day earlier, a BJP Janajati Morcha delegation led by state president Rajib Bhattacharjee and North East coordinator Sambit Patra met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Delhi. The delegation, which included key tribal leaders such as Bikash Debbarma and Santana Chakma, invited Shah to launch the BJP’s campaign for the council elections.
The BJP views the TTAADC polls as a decisive test of its influence in the tribal-dominated hill areas, where Tipra Motha enjoys significant dominance. However, despite being coalition partners in the state government, BJP and Tipra Motha remain bitter rivals within the TTAADC. BJP’s elected MDCs sit in opposition in the council, while Tipra Motha has consistently refused to share power with the saffron party.
Uneasy Alliance Under Strain
Relations between the two partners have been uneasy ever since the alliance began. Reports of BJP workers facing attacks in Tipra Motha strongholds, along with frequent public disagreements, have weakened the coalition’s credibility.
Earlier this year, Tipra Motha MLA and former militant leader Ranjit Debbarma declared that the party would pull out of the alliance altogether. At the time, Pradyot Debbarman dismissed the remarks as a result of frustration over delays in implementing the accord. However, his latest warning suggests that patience within Tipra Motha’s leadership is wearing thin.
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Political observers believe that the Tiprasa Accord could become the central issue in the run-up to the 2026 council elections. While the BJP is keen to project itself as the main alternative in the tribal areas, Tipra Motha continues to hold sway over the region with its narrative of indigenous rights and empowerment.
The Road Ahead
With both parties gearing up for an electoral showdown, the unresolved issue of the accord poses a significant challenge to coalition stability. For Tipra Motha, the accord is seen as a historic commitment to the indigenous people of Tripura. For the BJP, balancing governance in the state while contesting for influence in tribal areas may prove to be an uphill battle.
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As the political climate intensifies, the fate of the coalition—and the Tiprasa Accord itself—remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the accord will be a defining factor in shaping Tripura’s political battleground in the years to come.
