TIPRA Motha announces ‘one north east’ rally in Agartala, calls for united voice
TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma announced the rally, aiming to unite regional parties on a common platform
A file image of Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma addressing a gathering. (Photo:@PradyotManikya/X)
Agartala, Nov 23: The TIPRA Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, on Friday announced that a 'One North East' rally of the regional parties of the North East would be held here on November 27.
TMP supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who is also the president of the National People's Party (NPP), and several other prominent leaders of the regional parties in the North East are set to join the rally. The NPP, too, is an ally of the BJP.
"We had a very good meeting on the concept of One North East, a common platform of the regional parties of the North East to speak in one voice. We are making significant progress in the process," Debbarma told reporters.
Claiming that the Centre has no time to hear the voices of 10 parties, he said the bargaining capacity of the North East would be enhanced if the leaders and people of the region came together and spoke in one voice.
The TMP founder's assertion came days after leaders from various States of the North East jointly declared on November 4 in New Delhi that they would form a single political entity in the next 45 days to raise issues of the region. Sangma of Meghalaya, Debbarma of Tripura, and Nagaland leader Mmhonlumo Kikon, who is a former BJP spokesperson, were part of the proposed entity.
On Saturday. Debbarma said that the leaders of the regional parties want to create a new idea for the entire North East to speak in one voice for the common cause of the people of the region.
"Different organisations need to be amalgamated to create a common platform without losing their identity. We are working on how we can speak in one voice because the people of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and Arunachal Pradesh will come together," he said.
Debbarma said the rally of the leaders of regional parties would be held at Swami Vivekananda Ground on November 27 to define the mission of 'One North East'.
On the recent violence in Khumulwng and Jampuijala in Tripura, the TMP leader said their party office was burned down, and leaders and workers were beaten up by miscreants.
"Miscreants have no political ideology. They sometimes take up TIPRA Motha's flags and someday the BJP's festoon. If they get an opportunity, they will not hesitate to work for the Congress or the CPI(M). We want the police to take strong action against the miscreants who are involved in violent activities in Khumulwng and Jampuijala," he said.
Workers of the BJP and TMP were engaged in clashes at Khumulwng in West Tripura and Jampuijala in Sepahijala district, leading to panic among the people. Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma of the TMP visited the violence-hit areas separately on Friday.
The TMP, which used to be the main Opposition party of Tripura, joined the BJP-led Government in the State ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. It now has 13 MLAs in the 60-member Atate Assembly and two ministers.
PTI