BJP ally TMP to hold 'One Northeast' rally with NE regional parties on Nov 27

Agartala, Nov 22 (PTI) The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, on Friday announced that a 'One Northeast' rally of the regional parties of the NE will be held here on November 27.

TMP supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who is also the president of the National Peoples' Front (NPP), and several other prominent leaders of the regional parties in the northeast are set to join the rally.

The NPP too is an ally of the BJP.

"We had a very good meeting on the concept of One Northeast, a common platform of the regional parties of the northeast to speak in one voice. We are making significant progress in the process," Debbarma told reporters.

Claiming that the Centre has no time to hear the voices of 10 parties, he said the bargaining capacity of the northeast will be enhanced if the leaders and people of the region come together and speak in one voice.

The TMP founder's assertion came days after leaders from various states of the Northeast jointly declared on November 4 in New Delhi that they would form a single political entity in the next 45 days to raise issues of the region. Sangma of Meghalaya, Debbarma of Tripura, and Nagaland leader Mmhonlumo Kikon who is a former BJP spokesperson, were part of the proposed entity.

On Saturday, Debarma said that the leaders of the regional parties want to create a new idea for the entire northeast to speak in one voice for the common cause of the people of the region.

"Different organisations need to be amalgamated to create a common platform without losing their identity. We are working on how we can speak in one voice because the people of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and Arunachal Pradesh will come together," he said.

Debbarma said the rally of the leaders of regional parties will be held at Swami Vivekananda ground on November 27 to define the mission of 'One Northeast'.

On the recent violence in Khumulwng and Jampuijala in Tripura, the TMP leader said their party office was burned down, and leaders and workers were beaten up by miscreants.

"Miscreants have no political ideology. They sometimes take up Tipra Motha's flags and someday the BJP's festoon. If they get an opportunity, they will not hesitate to work for the Congress or the CPI(M). We want the police to take strong action against the miscreants who are involved in violent activities in Khumulwng and Jampuijala," he said.

Workers of the BJP and TMP were engaged in clashes in Khumulwng in West Tripura and Jampuijala in Sepahijala district, leading to panic among the people. Chief Minister Manik Saha and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarama of the TMP visited violence-hit areas separately on Friday.

The TMP, which used to be the main opposition party of Tripura, joined the BJP-led government in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. It now has 13 MLAs in the 60-member state assembly and two ministers. PTI PS NN