Tripura: Politicians will be jobless if tribal-Bengali divide ends, says Pradyot

Agartala: Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Wednesday said that the long-standing divide between the tribal and Bengali communities in Tripura must end for the state to move forward, asserting that such unity would render many politicians of Tripura jobless.

Speaking at a public meeting in Karbook, Debbarma said that both tribals and Bengalis in rural areas have been victims of deprivation and neglect.

“If this wall of divide falls, many politicians will have to retire as their brand of politics will cease to exist. Their shops will be shut forever,” he remarked. He also addressed another organisational event in Teliamura the same day.

Taking aim at what he described as divisive politics, Debbarma accused the BJP of thriving on polarisation.

“If today the Muslims of India migrate out of the country, how will the BJP do their politics? This is how divisive politics works,” he said. He added that clerics often approach him seeking money in exchange for Muslim votes, calling it an unhealthy political practice. “Vote-bank politics will never help any community,” he said, urging Muslims to prioritise formal education alongside religious studies.

Referring to the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, Debbarma asked his supporters to remain united. “Wait for five more months and keep the Thansa (unity). We shall definitely succeed this time. No one can defeat us in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Criticising the state government, of which Tipra Motha is a coalition partner, Debbarma pointed out that the Village Committee elections have not been held since 2016.

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“The polls are being delayed because the ruling party knows it will draw a blank,” he alleged.

Although Tipra Motha continues to share power with the BJP, the party has increasingly taken a critical stance in recent months, with Debbarma frequently hinting at the possibility of withdrawing from the alliance.

In a notable shift, Debbarma has begun delivering speeches in Bengali during recent rallies, a move seen as an attempt to expand the party’s outreach beyond the 20 tribal-reserved assembly constituencies. He also called for unity between tribals and Bengalis, asserting that “if Tripura stands united, Bangladesh can never challenge us.”