MLA from Tripura BJP ally resigns ahead of 2023 assembly elections

He is the second legislator from IPFT to exit the party since last year. A year ago, IPFT legislator Brishaketu Debbarma left the party to join TIPRA Motha

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday faced yet another setback in Tripura ahead of next year’s assembly elections after Dhananjoy Tripura, a legislator from the NDA ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), tendered his resignation to assembly speaker Ratan Chakraborty.

Supporters of Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Tripura in Khumulwng. (ANI File Photo)

He was seen accompanied by royal scion and head of TIPRA Motha party Pradyot Kishore Debbarma while submitting his resignation. The reason behind the move is not known yet. Tripura won the 2018 assembly polls from Raimavalley constituency in Dhalai district.

“IPFT MLA Dhananjoy Tripura submitted his resignation today. I have accepted his resignation and send it for gazette notification,” Chakraborty told reporters.

He is the second legislator from IPFT to exit the party since last year. A year ago, IPFT legislator Brishaketu Debbarma left the party to join TIPRA Motha. However, the assembly disqualified his membership recently for violating anti-defection law.

The resignation came within a month after BJP legislator Burbu Mohan Tripura left the party.

Of 60 assembly seats in the state, the BJP secured 36, with IPFT won eight in the 2018 polls.

With the recent resignations, the number of IPFT legislators has reduced to six.