It’s Good to Dream”: CM Dr Saha’s Wry Response to Pradyot’s 2028 Claim
“It is good to dream of something. In democracy, anyone can dream.” With this slightly sarcastic remark, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Thursday responded to Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishor Manikya Debbarma’s recent claim that the state could see a Tiprasa Chief Minister in the future and that his party might capture Agartala by 2028 if it performs strongly in the upcoming council polls.
Dr. Saha made the comment while speaking to reporters after chairing a crucial core committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party’s state office in Agartala. The meeting focused on the party’s political strategy for the upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and discussions on a probable candidate for the Dharmanagar Assembly by-election.
The meeting was attended by several senior leaders of the party’s state unit, including BJP state president and Member of Parliament Rajib Bhattacharjee, former Union minister Pratima Bhoumik, and the party’s state observer Rajdeep Ray. State cabinet ministers Ratan Lal Nath and Pranajit Singha Roy were also present, along with former MP Rebati Tripura and BJP general secretaries Bipin Debbarma and Bhagaban Das, among other senior leaders.
According to party sources, the leaders held extensive discussions on preparations for the upcoming TTAADC elections, which are considered politically significant in Tripura as the council governs the tribal-dominated areas of the state. The BJP leadership is aiming to strengthen its organisational presence in these areas ahead of the polls.
Apart from the council elections, the core committee also deliberated on selecting a potential candidate for the Dharmanagar Assembly by-election. The by-poll has become necessary following the demise of Assembly Speaker Biswabandhu Sen, who had represented the constituency.
Sources said the meeting included detailed discussions on identifying a suitable candidate who could effectively represent the party and retain the seat in the upcoming by-election.
Chief Minister Saha, who had returned from New Delhi earlier in the day, confirmed that the core committee reviewed strategies for the ADC elections and discussed other organisational matters concerning the party’s preparations for the polls.
“The core committee meeting discussed the political strategy for the upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council,” the Chief Minister told reporters.
The meeting comes at a time when political speculation is intensifying in the state regarding possible realignments ahead of the ADC elections. There have been reports in recent weeks suggesting that several MLAs from the Tipra Motha Party may join the BJP before the council polls, potentially changing the political dynamics in the state.
When asked about the BJP’s alliance dynamics with regional parties, Dr. Saha said that both Tipra Motha and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) continue to remain alliance partners of the BJP for now.
However, he added that a final decision on whether the BJP will contest the ADC elections independently or in alliance with its partners will be taken at a later stage.
“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 in the upcoming council elections, the Chief Minister also referred to his earlier remarks about the BJP’s electoral ambitions in the tribal council.
“Earlier I said that ‘we’ will win all 28 seats in the upcoming ADC elections,” Dr. Saha said, expressing optimism about the party’s chances.
Responding once again to Pradyot Kishor Manikya Debbarma’s assertion that his party could capture Agartala in 2028 and eventually produce a Tiprasa Chief Minister, the Chief Minister maintained a composed but pointed tone.
“It is good to dream of something. In democracy, anyone can dream,” Dr. Saha remarked, underscoring that political aspirations and ambitions are part of the democratic process.
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