AGARTALA, March 13 - The seat adjustment between the BJP and its alliance partner, Indigenous People�s Front of Tripura (IPFT), could not be finalised even after an hour-long meeting between top leaders of both parties in the presence of BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav here today.
After attending an organisational meeting at the Rabindra Bhavan where the party set the tone for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Madhav, accompanied by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, held a meeting with the IPFT�s top leaders at the State Guest House.
Madhav informed the IPFT leaders that the BJP has decided to contest both the Parliamentary constituencies in Tripura and sought the ally�s support to ensure victory.
However, the IPFT leaders including its supremo NC Debbarma and general secretary Mever Kumar Jamatia did not give any final word on extending support to the BJP in the ensuing election.
In the meeting, NC Debbarma, who is the Revenue Minister in the BJP-IPFT coalition Government in the State, also disclosed the party�s decision to contest at least one Lok Sabha seat in Tripura.
�The meeting was cordial, but no final decision was taken in the meeting as both parties stuck to their stand as far as the Parliamentary elections are concerned,� said IPFT assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma.
Debbarma said the IPFT has convened a meeting of the members of its central committee to take a final call on the issue on March 16. �We have already selected our candidates for both the seats and will make a move to get the names cleared in the meeting. Let us see what happens in the next few days,� he said.
�If they (BJP) do not offer us the East Tripura Parliamentary constituency as we have been demanding, there may be a friendly fight between the two partners of the coalition Government,� he said.
State BJP general secretary Rajib Bhattacharjee also confirmed that there was no final decision on seat adjustment, but the party is hopeful of contesting the two Lok Sabha seats with IPFT support.
Earlier in the day, Madhav said that the BJP would contest both the Lok Sabha seats and win them with convincing margins with IPFT support.
