Agartala, Aug. 21: The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) has kept its doors open for the seven deserters from the Autonomous District Council (ADC), who last month formed the National Socialist Party of Tripura (NSPT) to wrest power in the council with the CPM’s support, reports our special correspondent in Agartala.

The INPT’s central working committee meeting ended inconclusively last week, but it blamed the CPM for the crisis. It described the transfer of power in the council as “rape of democracy”.

In a statement, the party said the seven deserters were free to return and resume work for the tribal community. Sources in INPT said the two-day meeting had been acrimonious as rival factions, led by veteran leader Shyamacharan Tripura and Debabrata Koloi, indulged in protracted arguments.

Tripura, who had publicly sided with the dissidents, accused Koloi of obstinacy and refusal to abide by the decisions of the party.

Koloi and his followers had blamed Tripura for betraying the party by siding with the dissidents and leaking out party secrets to the media.

However, president of the INPT’s student front, Tripura Students Federation, Upendra Debbarma, and leader of the employees front N.K. Debbarma criticised Tripura for working against the party.