Agartala, Jun 09, 2023, By Our Correspondent
In a surprising turn of events, former Deputy Chief Minister and prominent BJP leader, Jishnu Dev Varma, on Friday suggested that several MLAs from the TIPRA Motha party were contemplating joining the ruling party. Dev Varma's statement, made on social media, has raised speculation about potential defections within the opposition party.
Dev Varma's post on his social media platform read, "The opposition bench with 13 MLAs facing a 32 strong treasury bench but hoping to cross over." Although he did not name anyone directly, his remarks strongly hinted at a potential shift in political allegiances.
The former Deputy Chief Minister launched a scathing attack on TIPRA Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Debbarman- though he did not take his name directly- during a youth rally organized by the ruling BJP-IPFT Morcha. Dev Varma minced no words in condemning what he perceived as the misleading tactics employed by Debbarman to sway tribal communities.
Expressing his disapproval of Debbarman's approach to politics, Dev Varma reiterated his stance on social media. He wrote, "The politics of threat and harassment of Tiprasa for joining BJP is contrary to the concept of Thansa or unity. You cannot take away people’s democratic and political right by threats and then ask for a constitutional solution."
During his speech, Dev Varma virtually flayed Debbarman.
“We do not come before you as the ‘King’ or the ‘Karta’. We come before as your servant”, he said and pointed out that it was the BJP who actually gave the due recognition of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya.
“During the 100th years of Maharaja Bir Bikram in 2008 no statue was erected, nothing was done in his name. Who was in the centre then? Congress. And the man who is moving around with all that ‘Thansa’ ‘thansa’ rhetoric was in Congress then. Could he do anything ? Not a single statue was erected”.
Dev Varma questioned Debbarman's claims of friendship with Rahul Gandhi, as the Congress-led government failed to honor the Maharaja with a statue during his centenary year
“Time and again we are told there is a ‘friend of Rahul Gandhi’. Mera dost hain, mera dost hain. Ye dosti ka keya kam ?, if you cannot erect a statue of the Maharaja whose name you are selling at the drop of hat ?”, asked Dev Varma who went all guns blazing and fired straight from the shoulder.
He highlighted the fact that it was the BJP who had bestowed recognition upon Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya..
Dev Varma underscored the accomplishments of the BJP-IPFT government, such as passing a cabinet decision on Land Rights, Territorial Council, allocation of 42 subjects, and increased funding to TTAADDC (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council). He accused TIPRA Motha of prioritizing their demand for "Greater Tipraland" over supporting the state government's initiatives.
In a subsequent Facebook post, Dev Varma reiterated the essence of his speech and dropped a significant hint, stating, "Now in the opposition bench with 13 MLAs facing a 32 strong treasury bench but hoping to cross over." The phrase "cross over" suggests that some TIPRA Motha MLAs may be contemplating joining the ruling party.
Dev Varma's statement has sparked intense speculation and political discussions, as it could potentially lead to a significant realignment of political forces in the state. The TIPRA Motha party, led by Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, currently holds a prominent position in the opposition, and any potential defections could impact the balance of power in the legislative assembly.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, all eyes will be on the developments within the TIPRA Motha party and the potential impact on the ruling party's stability and the opposition's influence.