Tripura CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury has offered conditional support to Tipra Motha for forming village committees where it lacks a majority. He stressed transparency, accountability and democratic procedures while ruling out cooperation with the BJP amid ongoing political negotiations.
Tripura Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) politburo member Jitendra Chaudhury on Tuesday said his party was willing to support Tipra Motha in forming village committees in areas where it had failed to secure a majority, provided the regional party committed to transparency, accountability and adherence to democratic procedures.
Interacting with media persons, Chaudhury said the CPI(M) would consider supporting Tipra Motha candidates based on local political equations and the commitments made by those seeking assistance. However, he categorically ruled out any possibility of extending support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of corruption, irregularities and weakening democratic practices.
“If Tipra Motha candidates who have failed to secure a majority approach us and commit to ensuring proper procedures, village assemblies and accountability to the people, we will support them, excluding the BJP,” Chaudhury said while explaining his party’s position.
He pointed out that CPI(M) support could become decisive in villages where a party needed only one or two additional votes to secure a majority and elect a chairperson. According to him, the party was prepared to extend support to those willing to work honestly for the development of Tripura and ensure the proper functioning of elected village bodies.
To explain the political situation, Chaudhury cited an example of a village committee in which the nine seats were divided among the BJP, Tipra Motha and the CPI(M), with three, four and two seats respectively. In such a situation, he said, the formation of the committee would depend on the support available to the parties and their willingness to cooperate.
The CPI(M) leader also questioned the emphasis placed by the BJP, Tipra Motha and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) on their triangular alliance under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He argued that political arrangements among party leaderships did not necessarily reflect the preferences of supporters at the grassroots level.
According to Chaudhury, supporters of the respective parties continued to identify themselves with their own political organisations rather than the NDA as a collective. He further claimed that the BJP and Tipra Motha faced resistance among sections of their supporters when attempting to cooperate at the village level.
Chaudhury said the immediate priority was to ensure the formation of village committees and enable the elected bodies to begin functioning through the appointment of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons. He indicated that local political circumstances and commitments to democratic governance would determine whether the CPI(M) extended support in individual cases.
Referring to developments in Gomati, Unakoti and North Tripura districts, the Opposition Leader alleged that the BJP lacked public acceptance in several areas. He also accused the party of irregularities and corruption, reiterating that the CPI(M) had no confidence in it.
The remarks come amid political negotiations over the formation of village committees following the election of their members. In areas where no party has secured a clear majority, support from other parties could prove crucial in determining the leadership of the committees.
Chaudhury’s statement signals that the CPI(M) may consider local-level cooperation with Tipra Motha despite their political differences, provided the regional party agrees to specific conditions concerning accountability and democratic functioning.
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There was no immediate response from the BJP, Tipra Motha or IPFT to Chaudhury’s allegations and remarks.
The final composition of the village committees will depend on local negotiations, the numerical strength of elected members and the support secured by candidates seeking the posts of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons.
