TIPRA Motha releases first list of candidates
The Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha party in Tripura has released its first list of candidates for 20 seats, including eight non-tribal seats, for the next month’s assembly elections.
The list was released late on Saturday, hours after the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), with whom the TIPRA Motha had sought a merger, announced it would continue its alliance with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.
Polling for the 60-member assembly is slated to be held on February 16. The results will be declared on March 2.
The list comprised names of candidates for 12 Scheduled Tribe reserved seats, two Scheduled Caste (SC) reserved seats and six unreserved seats. Twenty seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) in the assembly.
Tripura royal scion and party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma’s name did not figure in the first list. Among those fielded are former IPFT MLA Brishaketu Debbarma – who switched over to TIPRA Motha in 2021 – from Simna, his home turf.
Party leader Subodh Debbarma has been fielded from Charilam
constituency. Deputy chief minister and BJP leader Jishnu Devvarma is contesting the polls from this seat.
TIPRA Motha spokesperson Paul Dangshu will contest the polls from Karamcherra, against newlyjoined Congress leader Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl.
The TIPRA Motha, which was floated in 2021, has been demanding a Greater Tipraland – a separate state for the indigenous people. It swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections in April 2021 over its demand, winning 18 of the 28 seats in a direct contest with the ruling BJP-IPFT alliance.
TMC releases list
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) fielded 22 candidates in its first list for the polls. The list included of six candidates from Scheduled Tribes and two from Scheduled Castes.