Blackmailing won't work: Tripura CM hits out at ally Tipra Motha

Agartala, Dec 23 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha hit out at ally Tipra Motha on Tuesday, asserting that blackmailing would not work with him.

Speaking at a BJP event in Bijalbari in Khowai district, he said that sometimes the outfit wants "Tipraland", sometimes "Greater Tipraland", and nowadays advocates for "one Northeast".

Stating that the BJP believes in "peaceful coexistence" with its allies, Saha said that recently, it was declared that national parties will not be allowed to enter the areas administered by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

"We won the election in 2018 in alliance with the IPFT. In the 2023 elections, we managed to win with the same ally. You have joined the coalition after the elections. One cannot succeed by blackmailing or fooling the elder brother," he said, hitting out at the Pradyot Debbarma-led party, without naming it.

Saha said the people know how the BJP had defeated the Communists in 2018 after forging an alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT).

Debbarma recently said national parties will not be allowed to enter tribal council areas, as they do not care for regional outfits.

The IPFT and Tipra Motha are rivals in the tribal council area, but part of the BJP-led government in the state.

Saha alleged the Tipra Motha-controlled TTAAADC has erased Bengali from schools under its control.

"If you have reservations about the Bengali script for Kokborok, then go for an alternative, but no Roman script will be allowed as foreign script is not allowed under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. We know who is behind this Roman script plan for Kokborok. The government will not allow any instigation or blackmail on this issue," he said. PTI PS SOM