Tripura Assembly polls: CPI(M) hints at alliance with Tipra Motha

West Tripura (Agartala) [India], February 1 (ANI): Tripura CPI(M) secretary Jitendra Choudhary on Tuesday hinted that his party may ally with Tipra Motha, a regional front, in the upcoming Assembly election in February.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Choudhary said his party was in talks with the regional front for an alliance.
The Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on February 16.
Choudhary said he had a conversation with the Tripra Motha chairperson Pradut Kishore Deb Barma on filing of nominations for the upcoming election.
The CPI(M) leader said, "I had a conversation with the Tipra Motha chief (about an alliance). He said the front has not named any contestant from Sabroom, from where I am contesting."
Choudhary informed that the Tiprta Motha chairperson further said the two parties should sit and discuss the seats that they fancy winning and also decide on the withdrawal of nominations, if necessary.
"Pradut Kishore Deb Barma also said that we should sit immediately to sort out the seats where we are at an advantage and accordingly, we will decide on withdrawing nominations by Februray 2, which is the last date for doing so," he said.
There has been a lot of speculation pre-poll alliances, with various parties reportedly reaching out to the Tipra Motha chief with an alliance offer. However, the regional front has yet to take a final call in the matter.
Earlier on January 27, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (Tipra Motha) chief had claimed 'no alliance' with any party for the Assembly polls.
Sharing a video for his supporters on Twitter, Barma said, "A lot of people have speculated in the last three days that we are about to form an alliance. I have said it before and I am saying it again that unless we get in writing from the government of India that our demands will be met constitutionally, I will not form any alliance. I don't blame the people who don't believe it. Because in 46 years, after 1977, every regional Tiprasa political party has gone to Delhi and has come back with an agreement before the election. But after the election, Tiprasa doesn't get anything."
"I have said this before and am repeating it, we will not compromise on our demands. We went to Delhi to discuss and we heard them. If we didn't go, they would've mentioned it that despite the invitation, we skipped the meeting," he added.
While speaking about the meeting, Pradyot said, "They haven't given anything in writing. I want to inform all my Tipra Motha warriors and the entire Tiprasa that there will be no alliance in this election."
"Either we'll win or we'll lose, but this time we'll fight for one last time," Pradyot assured his supporters in the video. (ANI)