GUWAHATI: In Left-ruled Tripura, BJP has resorted to large-scale consolidation and mobilisation of tribal votes ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
This was borne out by a lunch by BJP president Amit Shah at a tribal’s house in Agartala’s capital Tripura capital recently. Shah and BJP’s Assam stalwart Himanta Biswa Sarma ate in the house of Chirasundar Debbarma, whose wife Budhulekha contested on a BJP ticket in the 2015 Agartala civic elections.
Earlier, to consolidate Dalit votes in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to Parliamentary and Assembly polls, he had lunched in Dalit homes.
The BJP asked its critics not to read too much into it, but tribal-based Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) said Shah’s gesture was an attempt to woo the tribals. The Left and the Congress think it won’t reap dividends for BJP. “It was nothing but to try and woo tribal voters. If they are concerned about tribals, let them prove it through actions,” said rebel-turned-INPT president B K Hrankhawl.
After its Assam and Manipur feat, BJP has set its sights on Meghalaya and Tripura, and may align with smaller parties, including INPT.
Twenty of Tripura’s 60 seats are reserved for STs. In 15 others, tribals are kingmakers.
Over the past one year, several Congress and smaller parties leaders have defected to the BJP. worn saffron. The Left, which has been in power since 1988, admits the BJP has taken over the Congress’s space.
“In terms of mobilisation, BJP is next to us. Congress is eroding,” CPM state general secretary Bijan Dhar said.
“People have got an alternative in BJP. We are fighting for all sections of society, including government employees and the tribals. They have started lending their support to us,” said BJP spokesperson Mrinal Kanti Deb.
Tripura Congress vice-president Tapash Dey retorted, “Unless BJP succeeds in breaking the Left, they won’t be able to do much. Their vote share in the 2013 election was a meagre 1.7 per cent compared to our 44 per cent. They have miles to go.”
CPM state general secretary Dhar said BJP’s attempt to cause fissures in the Left would remain a mirage. “BJP won’t succeed in breaking the Left. Tripura is no Manipur or Goa. Some disgruntled workers of Left parties may go to them, but the leaders won’t,” he said.