The CPI(M) appeared to have successfully defused a crisis in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), a day after dissidents expressed ‘no-confidence’ in the council’s Executive Committee members and sought their resignations or removal.
Lashing out at the State’s ruling BJP for trying to “destabilise the council for narrow political gain”, Chief Executive Member Radhacharan Debbarma on Tuesday addressed a press conference at the CPI(M)’s State office here, accompanied by 24 of the council’s 28 elected members.
A group of dissident council members had on Monday circulated a letter purportedly signed by 15 members, urging the Secretary to convene an urgent session and demanding the removal of the Executive Committee’s members. The group also met Governor Ramesh Bais.
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Different assumptions
At the press conference, some of those whose names appeared as signatories to the letter confirmed that they had indeed signed the letter, but contended that they had done so “assuming a matter related to their perks”. Only one member, Safai Mog, claimed his signature had been faked.
Mr. Debbarma alleged that Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma had “orchestrated a conspiracy” against the CPI(M)-controlled TTAADC.
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‘Sinister design’
“The BJP would carry on its sinister design to make a back-door entry into the council, but we are also vigilant to thwart any unethical attempt,” the council’s CEM asserted.
Former Lok Sabha Member and senior CPI(M) leader Jitendra Choudhury also slammed the BJP for trying to unseat elected officials of the TTAADC. The CPI(M) had won all 28 seats in the TTAADC in the last elections.
Meanwhile, one of the dissidents, Patiram Debbarma, refuted the CEM’s charge and claimed that all 15 members had signed the letter willingly and that no signature was “fake”.
He asserted that the actual picture would become clear once the council session is convened and it takes up discussion on their ‘no confidence’ motion. The Governor would be approached again for his intervention in convening an early session of the TTAADC, the dissident member added.