Ranjit Debbarma Calls for NDA Review Meeting Amid ‘Friendly Fights’ in VC Polls

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 21, 2026

Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma has called for a review of the electoral situation within the NDA alliance ahead of the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Village Committee elections, particularly in constituencies where candidates from alliance partners may be facing each other.

In a Facebook post, Debbarma said that an NDA review meeting should be held to assess the situation in the constituencies where a “friendly fight” may take place between candidates belonging to alliance partners.

Referring to the ongoing Village Committee election process, Debbarma wrote in Kokborok that wherever such situations have emerged, the alliance should review the seats and examine the possibility of resolving the issue through discussions. He also appealed to local leaders and grassroots-level functionaries to work together to address the situation.

The Tipra Motha MLA's post comes against the backdrop of the BJP and Tipra Motha's decision to contest the Village Committee elections as NDA partners. The two parties had held discussions over seat-sharing and subsequently agreed to withdraw excess nominations in constituencies where candidates from both alliance partners had filed nomination papers.

Concern Over ‘Friendly Fight’ in Some Seats

Debbarma's latest remarks indicate that differences may still remain at the grassroots level in some constituencies despite the broader electoral understanding between the BJP and Tipra Motha.

According to his Facebook post, an NDA review meeting should examine the seats where “friendly fights” are taking place or where alliance-supported candidates are competing against each other. He suggested that discussions among local leaders could help resolve such issues and avoid unnecessary competition between alliance partners.

The remarks are significant because the BJP and Tipra Motha are contesting the VC elections under a broader NDA arrangement, while candidates and supporters at the local level have sometimes had to adjust to the alliance's seat-sharing decisions.

Earlier Seat-Sharing Disagreements

The BJP and Tipra Motha had held several rounds of discussions before finalising their electoral coordination for the VC polls. On September 6, senior leaders of both parties met in Agartala to discuss seat sharing and election strategy. Ranjit Debbarma was among the Tipra Motha leaders who participated in those discussions.

The two parties subsequently agreed that excess nominations filed by their respective candidates would be withdrawn where necessary. BJP leader Ratan Lal Nath said at the time that the alliance decision had been taken at short notice and that the message had not reached all grassroots workers in time, resulting in additional candidates filing nominations in some constituencies.

Debbarma had also said during the discussions that some aspirants had filed nomination papers without consulting the party leadership and that the issue would be addressed through the withdrawal process.

Appeal for Grassroots Coordination

In his latest Facebook post, Debbarma appears to have placed emphasis on coordination among local leaders, particularly in areas where electoral competition between NDA partners could create complications.

His appeal comes at a crucial stage of the VC election campaign, when political parties and candidates are intensifying organisational activities across the TTAADC areas.

The Village Committee elections are scheduled to be held across 587 Village Committees, covering 4,597 seats. The BJP and Tipra Motha's coordination is being closely watched because both parties have organisational networks across the tribal areas, while the CPI(M), Congress and other candidates are also contesting the polls.

Debbarma's latest statement therefore highlights the continuing challenge of translating the BJP–Tipra Motha alliance at the leadership level into coordinated campaigning at the grassroots.

The MLA's call for a review meeting suggests that the alliance leadership may need to address constituency-level differences and ensure greater coordination among local leaders and workers before polling.

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