‘Tipra Motha’ sweeps ADC polls, secures 24 out of 28 seats , BJP wins only 4

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, April 17, 2026

As anticipated well in advance, the electorate in ADC have sacrificed the mainstreaming of their political belief and integration with the composite nationhood at the altar of sectarian regionalism . Despite the extremely shady record of the ‘Tipra Motha’ in shoddily running the ADC over the past five years with unbridled corruption and total disruption in development work , the ‘Motha’ has managed to win a whopping 24 of the 28 seats up for the April 12 elections. This is all the more remarkable as the ‘Tipra Motha’ had entered the fray without an alliance with the BJP with which it has been sharing power at the state level. The opposition CPI (M) and Congress, as expected, drew a blank again despite securing impressive number of votes in a few constituencies but the quantum of votes secured is yet to be finally computed and released by the state election commission (SEC).

The relation between the BJP and ‘Tipra Motha’ had sourced several months back on a host of issues including the undue pressure tactics of the junior partner in spite of the fact that ADC’s due funds were always released in time . What stood out as a sore point was the question of utilization of funds , a large portion of which was grossly siphoned off by the ADC’s elected members as well as Executive Members. Besides, a number of ADC’s revenue-yielding assets like parks and lakes were given away in long lease to parties from outside the state, raising questions over the power of the ADC in doing so as per 6th schedule of the constitution. A number of leading constitutional experts point out that 6th schedule is not a separate constitution but an integral part of the actual constitution whose scheme envisages clearly autonomous functioning of ADC in certain matters but in regard to assets that actually belong to the state it can not act independently of the state government. In our federal constitution states can not be ignored by the ADC in all matters in spite of the provisions of autonomy given them under 6th schedule for preservation of distinctive identity, culture, social customs, right over land etc. These issues coupled with Pradyot Kishore’s divisive politics, polarizing rhetoric and personal aggrandizement only helped to aggravate matters, leading to a parting of ways which may also be a temporary phenomenon. Pradyot has been working assiduously to achieve greater power in the state and is being helped by a treacherous section from within BJP.

For the BJP the reverse was a natural corollary to the party’s lack of organizational strength, underlying divisions in the leadership ranks and failure to reap the benefits from the largesse given to a large section of tribals by the union home ministry. Sadly for the BJP, it is the real term beneficiaries who deserted the benefactors and actively lent the weight of their support to the ‘Tipra Motha’ , responsible for all the ills afflicting the ADC over the past five years. Apart from this, if reports pouring out are to be believed, a section of BJP’s top-notchers indirectly helped the ‘Tipra Motha’ to settle scores with the party leadership as part of the suicidal policy of cutting the nose to spite the face. The political grapevine is agog with reports that a functionary who fatted his coffers during stint in state politics extended a ‘loan’ (actually grant?) of Rs 7 crore to have the BJP bite the dust in the elections. How of this is true is still uncertain but the outcome of the just-concluded ADC polls has made it amply clear that the BJP has a lot to learn and a lot more to unlearn from the debacle . A complete and comprehensive reformulation of political strategy in the ADC areas seems now to be in order for the party to gain and expand the support base among indigenous people.

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