“Stop membership drive after polls to avert turncoats from returning”: Tipra Motha urges BJP

Tripura Royal Scion requested the state BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee to "stop issuing new memberships once the poll results are declared."

The Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma has requested the BJP to discontinue issuing new memberships once the poll results are declared on June 4 to avert the turncoats from returning to the party.

Debbarma, chairman of the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (or Tipra Motha), was speaking at a public rally organised to showcase the strength of Tipra Motha, the BJP, and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) at Khumulwng.

The former Congress leader, in a veiled attack on the present Congress leaders, stated on Monday that they kept hopping parties and now want Tipra to be on their side.

Tripura Royal Scion requested the state BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee to “stop issuing new memberships once the poll results are declared.”

“When they left Congress, they threw sandals on the photo of AICC Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. They switched to Trinamool Congress and finally joined the BJP. During their stint in the BJP, they won elections but couldn’t survive there for long and hence returned to the grand old party. I want to tell Rajib Ji to please stop issuing new memberships once the poll results are declared. They will make a beeline to join the BJP after the polls,” the senior Tipra Motha leader claimed.

Debbarma was targeting Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman and his close confidante Asish Kumar Saha, the Congress candidate, against BJP’s Biplab Kumar Deb.

Reiterating his stand about joining hands with the BJP, Debbarma said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is returning to power. Congress and CPIM told me to join the opposition. After so many years full of hardships, the Home Minister of India has given us a guarantee. We must listen to him. Neither Manik Sarkar in his 25-year rule thought about us nor did the Congress government in the centre resolve our problems.”

Accusing Manik Sarkar of being parochial in his approach, Debbarma said, “He branded himself in the country as a poor CM and labelled Tiprasa as militants, violent and unruly. I still admit that the people of my community are more important than power and politics. For a good future for my people, I can do anything and everything.”

Speaking at the same event, former Chief Minister and BJP candidate for West Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb said, “Tiprasa is always close to my heart. Once I am elected from this constituency, I will work for the welfare of the people. I would prioritise the creation of enough employment opportunities for youth, good education and healthcare.”

Tripura is set for two-phase elections this time. The West Tripura constituency goes to poll on April 19, while the poll battle in East Tripura is scheduled for April 26. (ANI)

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