The TIPRA Motha, which was till recently considered as a crucial factor in the ensuing assembly elections and all the political parties were trying to woo its supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, seems to have been losing the wind from its sail fast.
Recent activities of its leaders are belying the carefully crafted unity façade of the party. In fact, now the TIPRA Motha appears desperately struggling to keep the home intact—all the leaders under one umbrella as many of them were not making much hush hush about their future plan : To get TIPRA Motha ticket in the elections or to jump the boat and join some other party whenever the opportunity comes. That the Thansa or the cause of Greater Tipraland that Pradyot Kishore was espousing – often at the cost of his being branded as overtly anti-Bengali -was something that did not really work or make much difference beneath the surface and at the heart of his leaders became time and again crystal clear from his own utterings.
Pradyot Kishore’s frustration was evident when he openly threatened his own party leaders of dire consequences – danda and arson to be specific- if they did leave the TIPRA Motha for personal profits. Now, after threat Pradyot Kishore was openly trying to play the ‘sentiment card’ to secure his home and hold it tight.
In a series of tweets he said , “ I am aware that some leaders will betray us when they don’t get a ticket for elections. Their aim in life is not to achieve Greater Tipraland but to become an MLA or a Minister. My support and love is from my poor ppl (sic) who live in the villages, youth who want a better tomorrow and our mothers and sisters who have loved me like their own family”.
“I am also answerable to my Ancestors and the great kings of our glorious history of Tripura. What should I do to these people who say that if we are not given a ticket we will go and join another party?”
“Are they fighting for 13 lakh tiprasa or for themselves ? Will you support me or these few leaders just because they maybe your relatives, friends or from the same village ? THINK ABOUT IT If we compromise now we will never get another chance” .
Evidently, his frustration came from the knowledge that many of his TIPRA Motha leaders were neither convinced by the absurd Greater Tipraland demand , nor they interested about the high sounding ‘Tiprasa cause’, they had their own cause and own interest –which according to Pradyot Kishore’s own language might prompt them to “go and join another party”. In fact, there was no ambiguity as the TIPRA Motha supreme minced no words : “I am aware that some leaders will betray us when they don’t get a ticket for elections. Their aim in life is not to achieve Greater Tipraland but to become an MLA or a Minister”.
Many pointed out that it was actually this knowledge –which also got expression in his threat to his own party leaders- that all was not well as it appeared on the face of it. He knew very well that he could not fully rely only on the indigenous leaders for the ‘Greater Tipraland’ and that is why he floated the TIPRA Citizen’s forum to include the nontribal populace as a shock absorber.
His tweets made it amply clear that Pradyot Kishore was not only losing the grip, the indigenous leaders whom he indicated in his tweets- were not ready to accept, or be influenced by, his personal image too anymore. The problem for him appeared that he did not know as to how the exodus could be arrested or as to how he could regain the aura that he sought to create. Evidently, threat did not work, and now his mistrust on his own leaders might affect the TIPRA Motha further. Ultimately, in reality it would not be as formidable a force in the state politics to reckon with as was given to believe, hitherto. The TIPRA Motha was losing the steam , fast and furious. Some indications in this regard were also available from the recent BJP Janajati Morcha rally. Neither absurd demand of Greater Tipraland, nor threat nor sentimental statements was going to change the reality. The Achilles ’ heel in the entire politics was, perhaps, that TIPRA Motha politics itself -pivoting around a single man , an individual and his image and people’s emotional attachment with him or his family. Emotions and sentimental attachment may work for some time, but not always, when it comes to hard realities of politics- where often money and power lollypop play key role. Erosion had, evidently begun, and the erosion would definitely continue in future too.
