The Tipra Motha Party on Friday won the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections with a thumping majority by securing 24 of the 28 seats and consolidating its hold on the tribal areas.

The Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma-led TMP not only improved upon its tally of 18 seats registered in its debut electoral in 2021 but its dominating performance this time also saw the BJP tally fall from eight to four.

The TMP and the BJP are allies in the BJP-led Tripura government but contested the April 12 polls separately.

The Left Front, which was ousted from power by the TMP in 2021, and the Congress drew a blank for the second straight time in the council polls.

The polls held on April 12 registered a voter turnout of 83.50 per cent, 250 per cent higher than the 2021 turnout, once again debunking the long-held belief that higher turnout reflected anti-incumbency.

In the four seats the BJP won, its vote share was less than 50 per cent, while the TMP’s vote share in several seats crossed 70 to 80 per cent. In 2021, TMP had secured a vote share of 46.70 per cent.

Soon after TMP’s victory, Debbarma posted on X: “We won! System lost! Peoples will prevailed. Thansa (unity) is a word people should respect and remember #TTAADC Election — 24 out 28.”

It appeared to be a dig at the BJP, which heads the state government, because of its scathing attack on the TMP during campaigning over
the latter’s alleged divisive politics, lack of development in the council area and
alleged corruption in the TTAADC, currently headed by the TMP.

Debbarma said in a TV interview that he has given up everything to fight for his (tribal indigenous) people. “I have seen the suffering of my people. I will take it to its logical end because our people deserve a better future.”

Debbarma was indirectly referring to continuing his fight for the implementation of the tripartite pact signed by the TMP, the Tripura government and the Centre in March 2024 for an “honourable” solution to problems of the state’s indigenous people.

Taking an indirect dig at chief minister Manik Saha, Debbarma also said the
language used by certain leaders was “downright low and humiliating, which angered my people” in the run-up to the elections.

The TTAADC serves a population of around 15 lakh and covers 70 per cent of the state’s area. Of the 60 seats in the state Assembly, 20 are located in the TTAADC.