My people's sentiments are non-negotiable, says Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma after meeting BJP leaders

By Payal Mehta
New Delhi [India], January 19 (ANI): Political activities have picked up pace in Tripura with the announcement of assembly polls on February 16 with parties looking at various options in terms of alliances.
Amid talk of an alliance between the Congress and Left parties, the ruling BJP is also looking at various options in the northeastern state.
"The BJP top brass will take a call on our alliance in the next few days. We were in an alliance with Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). We will soon decide on it," a senior BJP leader told ANI.
The BJP and IPFT stitched an alliance before the 2018 assembly polls in the state. IPFT had won eight out of nine seats it contested.
Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, supremo of Tipra Motha has also reached out to IPFT for an alliance.
Pradyot Debbarma said in a tweet that he has handed over a letter to IPFT for unification.
"I have handed the official letter to Aghore Debbarma General secretary IPFT regarding the unification of Tipra with IPFT for the larger interest of the Tiprasa people . I hope that we can put our peoples interest over individual goals," he said in a tweet.
Tipra Motha (Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) chief is in Delhi and is learnt to have held meetings with BJP negotiators.
"My people, their demands and sentiments are non-negotiable. Our demands need to be given a constitutional validity. Till then I am not going into an alliance with anyone whether it's BJP or any other party," Pradyot Debbarma told ANI.
The larger sentiment in the ruling party at the Centre and state remains that they cannot be seen forming an alliance with a party that is demanding a separate state - Greater Tipraland - for indigenous tribes. It is possible that more BJP leaders meet Debbarma in the coming days.
"We are no secessionists. We are only demanding that our culture, identity should be protected. After all, we are a border state with Bangladesh," Pradyot Debbarma said.
He hopes to meet some central ministers with his demands.
People of Tripura will vote for 60 assembly seats on February 16 and counting of votes will take place on March 2.
The ruling BJP, which created history by coming to power in Tripura in the last assembly polls by ending decades-old CPI-M dominance, is seeking another term in office. (ANI)