Differences between BJP, IPFT take a violent turn in Tripura

Despite being partners in the coalition government, the BJP and IPFT contested the Lok Sabha polls separately with both parties putting up candidates in the two seats of the state.

Barely 15 months into power, strains have surfaced between Tripura’s ruling BJP and its alliance partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) as supporters of both the parties have clashed in several areas of the northeastern state.

IPFT activists during a protest.((HT File Photo))

Despite being partners in the coalition government, the BJP and IPFT contested the Lok Sabha polls separately with both parties putting up candidates in the two seats of the state. The BJP’s candidates won both the seats.

The IPFT has been in alliance with the BJP since the formation of the government in March last year. But within two months of coming to power, differences cropped up between them over the nomination of chairpersons of block advisory committees (BACs).

To solve this problem, a coordination committee comprising three members of the BJP and two from IPFT was constituted last year.

This is the second time the differences between the coalition partners have turned violent.

Supporters of both the parties brawled after a vehicle of newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Rebati Tripura’s relative, parked in front of his house at Durgapur in Gandacherra, was recently damaged by unknown people.

At least nine people from both the parties have been injured in the clashes in different parts of the state so far, said police. Two people were arrested on Monday and moved to court, they added.

While the member of Parliament has lodged a police complaint blaming IPFT workers of vandalising his house, the regional party has denied the allegations and claimed the BJP’s supporters were targeting their leaders and attacking them.

“Our supporters are constantly under threat since the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls. BJP’s cadres are attacking our people. If the violence doesn’t stop soon, we will have to look for an alternative way,” the IPFT’s assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma said.

Debbarma, however, declined to specify what could the “alternative way” be.

The IPFT feels that the BJP is resorting to violence to target its workers in the hilly region of the state, where the regional party has a strong base, in order to increase its foothold in the area.

On the other hand, the BJP’s spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said a section of Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres disguised as IPFT workers might be responsible for the violence.

“We agree that there should be an alternative way to violence. We don’t support violence and whoever is behind this should deserve strict punishment. The IPFT should know the ground reality first before blaming us. According to our own sources, some CPM cadres have intruded into IPFT,” Bhattacharya said.

On its part, the CPI(M) denied the allegation of their involvement saying that their activists in the northeastern state are in danger since the Lok Sabha polls results were announced.

“The problem lies between BJP and its alliance partner IPFT. The CPM has no involvement in any kind of clash. On the contrary, many of our party workers houses, party offices were damaged in different parts of the state after May 23,” the CPI(M) veteran leader Pabitra Kar said.