Tipra Motha to Contest All Urban Local Body Elections, No Alliance with BJP Without Implementation of Tripartite Agreement : MLA Ranjit Debbarma
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, October 28, 2026
Tipra Motha will field candidates in all upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Tripura and will not enter into an electoral alliance with the BJP unless the terms and conditions of the tripartite agreement are implemented, Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma told Tripurainfo.com on Wednesday morning.
Debbarma's statement comes ahead of the party's crucial meeting scheduled to be held in Agartala on Wednesday afternoon, where the leadership is expected to finalise its candidate list and discuss election-related strategies for the urban polls, likely to be held towards the end of November.
According to preliminary information shared by party sources, Tipra Motha is considering fielding between eight and ten candidates in the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections. The party is also planning to field as many candidates as possible in other municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats across the state.
The party's decision to contest the urban elections comes amid uncertainty over its electoral understanding with the BJP, its ally in the state government. Tipra Motha has reportedly made the implementation of the tripartite agreement a precondition for any possible electoral arrangement with the ruling party.
The agreement, signed on March 2, 2024, between the Government of India, the Government of Tripura and Tipra Motha's leadership, is central to the party's demands concerning the rights, welfare and constitutional safeguards of indigenous people in Tripura. The party has maintained that the commitments made under the agreement must be implemented rather than remaining confined to assurances.
Asked about the possibility of an alliance with the BJP for the forthcoming municipal elections, party MLA Ranjit Debbarma indicated that Tipra Motha would not agree to such an arrangement unless the agreement's terms and conditions were implemented. The party's position is expected to remain unchanged even if the BJP leadership approaches it for an understanding at a later stage.
Regarding the possibility of seat-sharing arrangements with other political parties, including the Congress and the Left Front, party MLA Ranjit Debbarma said that no such proposal had been received so far. Consequently, no formal discussions on an electoral understanding with these parties have taken place, according to Debbarma.
The party also clarified that there has been no substantive dialogue with the BJP leadership on the forthcoming urban elections.
Ranjit Debbarma recalled that he had once received a telephone call from BJP Minister Ratan Lal Nath to discuss a possible electoral understanding. However, no subsequent meeting or formal negotiations have taken place, they said.
The Wednesday afternoon meeting is expected to provide greater clarity on the party's final electoral strategy, including candidate selection, the number of seats to be contested and preparations across the state's urban local bodies.
Tipra Motha's proposed participation in the Agartala Municipal Corporation elections is particularly significant, with the party considering candidates in eight to ten wards at the preliminary stage. The final number may be decided after assessing the political situation and organisational preparedness in individual constituencies.
Notably. the ULBs elections are expected to cover 21 urban local bodies across Tripura, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The State Election Commission has been preparing for the polls, as the tenure of the existing urban local bodies is due to end on December 9, 2026.
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