'Tipra has not compromised': Debbarma, former Tripura Royal, tweets before meeting Amit Shah

Agartala: Ahead of a meeting with BJP leadership to discuss a potential alliance today, Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, former royal and leader of Tipra Motha, came up with a message for his followers on Twitter telling them that he had not "compromised" and asking them to "wait and watch". "Tipra has not compromised! Wait and watch," Debbarma tweeted while also posting a photograph with party president BK Hrangkhawl.

• Tipra has not compromised ! Wait and watch pic.twitter.com/8CdeJTmtHm

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023 ." class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Tipra has not compromised ! Wait and watch pic.twitter.com/8CdeJTmtHm

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023

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  Tipra has not compromised ! Wait and watch pic.twitter.com/8CdeJTmtHm

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023

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Tipra Motha, which has been advocating for the rights of indigenous people in Tripura, achieved a significant victory by winning 13 seats in its first Assembly election. The BJP had previously approached Tipra Motha for an alliance, but negotiations failed due to Tipra Motha's demand for a separate state. While the BJP retained power on its own, Tipra Motha's impressive performance has raised concerns for the 2024 general election, prompting the BJP to attempt to bring it into the NDA fold to prevent it from becoming a formidable rival in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Sources report that a delegation comprising the two leaders and 13 newly elected MLAs of Tipra Motha will meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Agartala. Interestingly, Debbarma did not attend the ceremony this morning in which Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and his eight cabinet colleagues were sworn in, but he wished Saha the best in a Twitter post and reiterated his party's commitment to working for the state's people as the second-largest party.

• Wishing the Hon Cm of Tripura @DrManikSaha2 the very best . May the state prosper and one under the blessings of Ma Tripura Sundari . As a 2nd largest party in the state we will always work for the interest of the people of the state

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Wishing the Hon Cm of Tripura @DrManikSaha2 the very best . May the state prosper and one under the blessings of Ma Tripura Sundari . As a 2nd largest party in the state we will always work for the interest of the people of the state

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023

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  Wishing the Hon Cm of Tripura @DrManikSaha2 the very best . May the state prosper and one under the blessings of Ma Tripura Sundari . As a 2nd largest party in the state we will always work for the interest of the people of the state

  — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) March 8, 2023

Debbarma, a former state Congress chief, has emphasized that he would rather sit in the Opposition than compromise on Tipra Motha's core demand for a 'Greater Tipraland'. Meanwhile, the opposition Left and Congress parties also did not participate in the swearing-in ceremony, protesting against post-poll violence in the state.

Tripura has historically been a Left bastion and Manik Saha's re-election marks the first time any anti-Left government has retained power in the northeastern state. In February 16 assembly elections, the BJP had won 32 seats in the 60-member Legislative Assembly, while its ally IPFT secured one seat.