Agartala, March 24 (NationPress) Just one day after the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) leader Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma declared that his party would not form any alliance for the forthcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, the BJP announced its candidate list on Tuesday.

The elections for the vital 30-member TTAADC are set for April 12, with the vote counting scheduled for April 17.

This tribal autonomous council is viewed as the second most significant constitutional body in the state after the Tripura Assembly, consisting of 28 elected members and two nominated by the state government. During the candidates' announcement, Tripura BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee stated that the party aims to contest all 28 seats. “Currently, the BJP has nine members in the TTAADC. Of these, seven have been renominated to run in the elections. Several senior tribal leaders from the party, including state General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, will also participate,” Bhattacharjee, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, informed the media.

He further mentioned that if elected to power in the TTAADC, the BJP would guarantee a transparent and effective administration focused on comprehensive development for the tribal population, which makes up nearly one-third of Tripura’s total population of approximately 4.2 million.

This development positions the upcoming council elections as a critical political contest in the state.

During the media briefing, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, and several other BJP leaders were present. Just before the BJP's candidate announcement, two prominent TMP leaders, Ananta Debbarma and Swadagar Kalai, joined the BJP, leading to their candidacy in the elections.

On the other hand, TMP founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma confirmed on Monday that there would be no alliance with the BJP for the TTAADC elections. In a video message from New Delhi, the former royal figure emphasized that there would be no electoral agreement unless there was visible progress on the tripartite accord signed two years prior.

He stressed that “assurances without implementation” were not acceptable, asserting that commitments must lead to concrete actions.

Leaders from both the BJP and TMP had previously suggested that the central leadership of both parties had engaged in a series of meetings in New Delhi to discuss a potential seat-sharing arrangement. TMP leader and MLA Ranjit Debbarma also mentioned that the party chief was holding discussions with BJP leaders in the national capital to finalize this arrangement.

Framing the April 12 elections as a pivotal political battle, he characterized the polls as a mandate concerning identity, rights, and the future of the indigenous Tiprasa community.

Taking a resolute and defiant position, Debbarma stated that he would neither compromise nor yield under pressure, reiterating his commitment solely to the indigenous people.

He highlighted that electoral strength should be displayed through democratic means. Additionally, he called for unity among tribal voters across party lines — including the BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) — while urging them to avoid division and violence. By framing the election as a collective democratic struggle, the TMP leader expressed confidence that grassroots support, particularly from economically disadvantaged sections, would surpass the influence of wealth and power.

Given the latest political developments, the TTAADC elections are expected to feature a multi-faceted contest, with the TMP seeking to transform the polls into a referendum on indigenous rights.

While the IPFT remains a longstanding ally of the BJP, the TMP, led by Debbarma, has been a junior partner in the ruling coalition in Tripura since March 2024. Both TMP and IPFT are tribal-focused parties with considerable sway in the state’s indigenous regions.

After extended negotiations, the TMP — then in opposition — signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government on March 2, 2024, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Subsequently, the party, boasting 13 MLAs, joined the BJP-led coalition government on March 7, 2024, introducing a new dynamic to the political landscape of the state. Two TMP MLAs — Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma — were inducted into the cabinet led by Chief Minister Manik Saha. Since 2021, the Tipra Motha Party under Debbarma’s leadership has administered the strategically significant 30-member TTAADC.

In the 2021 council elections, the BJP contested 11 seats and triumphed in nine, while a BJP-supported Independent candidate also won but later aligned with the TMP.

However, the TMP emerged as the dominant force, clinching 18 seats and seizing control of the council from the CPI (M)-led Left Front. The council encompasses nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s 10,491 sq km area and houses over 12.16 lakh residents, around 84 percent of whom belong to indigenous communities.

As the upcoming polls approach, major political entities — including the BJP, its allies IPFT and TMP, along with opposition parties like CPI(M) and Congress — have ramped up efforts to solidify support among tribal voters. The Left parties and Congress have already revealed their candidates for all 28 seats.