Agartala: The Tipra Motha Party has responded to Himanta Sarma's offer to talk about forming a government and said it is "ready for talks with the BJP". The tribal party has emerged as the second-largest party in the elections after the BJP.
Assam CM Himanta Sarma has been reaching out to Tipra Motha leader and former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarman under the condition that the party drops the demand for a separate state which was the major focus for the election campaign. He is the BJP's master strategist for the Northeast. After the election in which the BJP got the most number of seats, Sarma said the problems raised by the TMP should be discussed with the Centre and the new BJP government of the state.
Debbarman said he has heard Sarma's statement and if the BJP calls with "dignity and respect", the party will sit with them for talks. He asserted that the talks will be on the basis of only the Constitutional solution of Tripura, not on the basis of any post, reported NDTV.
"We are the indigenous people of Tripura. If you think you can rule Tripura by ignoring our rights, then you will face a problem. Tipra Motha was formed for the Constitutional rights of the indigenous people of Tripura. The people of Tripura voted for us and our party cannot let them down by compromising," he added. He further said that the Tipra Motha Party workers are the sons of the soil fighting for "constitutional rights".
Tipra Motha won 13 out of 60 seats in its debut election and the BJP won 33 seats. The Left-Congress alliance got 14 seats. Trinamool Congress did not win any seats.