Agartala, March 1: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura Pradesh president Rajib Bhattacharjee on Sunday accused the Tipra Motha Party of attempting to disrupt the party’s joining programme at Lamprai market under the Takarjala Assembly constituency.
Addressing the media, Bhattacharjee alleged that several people who were scheduled to join the BJP refrained at the last moment due to “threats and intimidation.” Despite this, he claimed that 90 voters from 25 families formally joined the saffron party during the event.
Daring political rivals to target leaders instead of common supporters, Bhattacharjee said the Tipra Motha’s slogan of “Thansa,” meaning unity among indigenous communities, was being undermined by acts of intimidation. “If you want to stop us, attack leaders like us who are working in the field. Poor and innocent people should not be made to suffer for exercising their democratic choice,” he said.
Bhattacharjee further alleged that the ruling party in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) was apprehensive about the BJP’s outreach campaign exposing what he described as administrative shortcomings. He claimed that the BJP-led government had allocated Rs 3,450 crore to the TTAADC in the current financial year and questioned why the council leadership had not acknowledged the funding.
The BJP leader also criticised the previous Left Front government, alleging prolonged neglect of tribal areas such as Takarjala, Jampuijala and Gabordi. He asserted that over the past seven-and-a-half years, development initiatives, including improved road connectivity with Agartala, had reached these regions without discrimination.
BJP general secretary Bipin Debbarma and other local leaders were present at the programme.
