IPFT rejects Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s merger proposal and confirms participation in the NFNS statehood protest in New Delhi, reaffirming its demand for Tipraland, constitutional reforms, and a stronger role in Tripura’s upcoming political realignments and TTAADC elections.
The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), a key ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state’s ruling coalition, has decisively rejected Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s proposal for a merger with the newly announced pan-regional political platform. The party made it clear on Sunday that it has no intention of dissolving its organisation and will remain committed to its original ideological goals, including the longstanding demand for a separate state—Tipraland.
The announcement came shortly after the party’s Central Executive Committee meeting, where IPFT General Secretary Swapan Debbarma declared that the party would join a nationwide demonstration led by the National Federation of New States (NFNS). The protest, expected to take place at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar before December 20, will push for the creation of new states across India, including Tipraland.
“We have decided to participate in the protest which will be conducted at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar as a constituent of the national body of political outfits demanding the formation of new states,” Debbarma told reporters after the meeting. His remarks underscored the party’s commitment to advancing its core ideology at a time when political alliances in Tripura and across the Northeast are undergoing rapid realignments.
IPFT Stands Firm, Rejects One North East Merger Appeal
Responding to Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s public appeal for a merger with the proposed One North East platform, senior IPFT leaders maintained that the party would not compromise its identity or principles for political convenience. Former Minister and IPFT president Prem Kumar Reang expressed strong reservations about the recent public meeting held in Agartala, which was widely promoted as the formal launch of a new regional political entity.
“We have certain reservations about the public meeting which occurred a few days ago in Agartala. It was portrayed as the beginning of a pan-regional political party, but people were waving Tipra Motha flags everywhere. They may have a larger organisation and more resources, but we want to rely on our core principles,” Reang said.
General Secretary Swapan Debbarma echoed this view, stressing that the IPFT would not support the rise of a new political entity at the cost of its own survival. “We don’t want to either dissolve our identity or merge it with another party,” he asserted.
Statehood, Constitutional Amendment Bill Among Key Demands
The IPFT leadership reiterated that separate statehood for the indigenous population remains the party’s top ideological demand. In addition, the party will continue to push for the immediate implementation of the high-level modality committee’s recommendations for upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) into a territorial council.
Debbarma added that the party would also insist on the passage of the long-pending 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the upcoming parliamentary session. “Separate statehood is our ideological demand and it will stay at the top of our demand draft. We also want the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill to be tabled and passed without further delay,” he said.
IPFT Defends Its Role in the Ruling Alliance
When asked what the IPFT has achieved as part of the ruling coalition, Debbarma pointed to earlier progress made during the tenure of former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. “The state assembly passed a resolution urging Parliament to pass the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill. Our Minister Shukla Charan Noatia also wrote to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to speed up the process,” he noted.
Alliance Choices for Upcoming TTAADC Elections
Looking ahead to the crucial TTAADC elections, Debbarma said the best-case scenario would be a joint contest involving the BJP, IPFT and Tipra Motha, provided a fair seat-sharing formula can be finalised. However, he added that the party would explore other alliance options depending on how the political situation evolves.
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Admitting that IPFT’s individual strength remains limited, he concluded, “It is true that IPFT cannot form the government alone, but no political party can afford to ignore us. We have enough strength to make our presence felt.”
