AGARTALA, Aug 31 - In a major blow to the Indigenous People�s Front of Tripura (IPFT), Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture SS Ahluwalia�on Thursday�ruled out the possibility of forming a separate State in Tripura.
�In case of forming a new State by curving out any territory, the concerned State needs to send an official proposal explaining logic behind forming a new State. Neither Tripura Government nor West Bengal Government has sent any such proposal so far. Therefore, the question of forming a new State either in West Bengal or in Tripura does not arise�, Alhuwalia told reporters here.
He said that the Centre is interested in empowering the tribal councils or the hill councils and in that case also specific proposals have to be submitted to the Centre on the basis of which a well-designed plan could be formulated.
IPFT has been pressing for formation of a separate State � Twipraland by carving out the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), which forms two-third of the State territory.
�This demand is not practical. Tripura is a small State and there�is no question of forming a separate State. Likewise, there is no possibility of forming any State in Darjeeling district of West Bengal�, he pointed out.
�Ultimately, development is essential. If people�s problems could be solved through proper developments�, Ahluwalia attached importance on tripartite talks between the Central Government, West Bengal Government and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha to solve the problems in Darjeeling.
�I, as an MP from Darjeeling would say that all problems could be solved through negotiation. If problems could be solved through bi-partite talks it is good and if it fails, then we have to prefer tripartite talks�, Ahluwalia, who was on a day�s visit to the State, said.
