BJP ally Tipra Motha upset for not being invited to PM's programme in Tripura

Agartala, Sep 22 (PTI) The Tipra Motha Party, a constituent of the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, on Monday expressed disappointment for not receiving an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme in the state.

Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Tripureswari temple in Gomati district and offered prayers at the shrine.

"We are upset for not receiving an invitation to the prime minister's event. Our party supremo and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, and party MLAs have been deprived of witnessing the historic event. Rajmata Bibhu Kumari Devi was also not invited to the programme, even though the temple was built by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in 1501," TMP's senior MLA Ranjit Debbarma said.

The development came a day after four people, including BJP's Janati Morcha vice president Mangal Debbarma, were attacked by TMP supporters in West Tripura.

Before the "signing of the 'Tripura Merger Agreement' between the Indian Union and Queen Kanchan Prava Devi in September 1949, Maa Tripura Sundari's temple was owned by the Manikya rulers, the TMP legislator claimed.

During the inauguration of the redeveloped Tripureswari temple by the PM, Chief Minister Manik Saha and Member of Parliament (MP) Rajib Bhattacharjee, who is also the state BJP president, were present there.

Expressing anguish over ignoring the regional party, Debbarma said the BJP MLAs and elected representatives were invited to join the programme.

The TMP, which had been the main opposition party in Tripura, joined the BJP-led government in March last year ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The party has 13 members in the state assembly.

Another constituent of the BJP-led coalition in the state, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), was also not invited to the programme.

IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma said, "We were not invited to the programme. Don't know if our lone minister, Sukla Charan Noatia, joined the event or not," he said. PTI PS BDC