The Tipraha Indigenous People’s Regional Alliance (TIPRA) on Saturday registered a comfortable victory in the election to the 28-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
The TIPRA, the umbrella organisation of regional political parties floated by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, won 18 seats, while the BJP bagged nine of the 12 seats it contested. One seat went to an Independent — a BJP rebel.
The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), which is a BJP ally, and the CPI (M)-led Left front saw a complete rout in the election.
The election was held on April 6. Among the notable winners were TIPRA chairman Mr. Debbarman, and senior leaders Jagadish Debbarma, Animesh Debbarma and Chitta Debbarma.
Jagadish Debbarma, former chairman of the legislative wing of the TTAADC, defeated former chief executive member and senior CPI(M) leader Radha Charan Debbarma in the Jirania constituency. The latter, along with other executive members, had resigned in May last year after the completion of their tenure.
The CPI(M) had governed the council for 15 years in a row.
The election to the TTAADC, which was constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, was due in June last year, but could not be held due to coronavirus pandemic.
Amid celebrations by TIPRA supporters, Mr. Debbarman announced that they would hold a victory rally at Khumulwng, the headquarters of the TTAADC, 12-km east of here, on Monday. He has hinted about assuming the office of the chief executive member of the new council to be formed by next week.
The BJP congratulated the TIPRA for its win, while CPI(M) and the IPFT said they were analysing the results.
