Agartala, Jul 19 (PTI) The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a constituent of the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, is ready to initiate dialogue with saffron party's central leadership on the issue of alliance formation for the 2023 Assembly elections, said one of its leaders.

BJP MP Rebati Tripura, however, said that the tribal party might as well approach the state unit of the saffron camp if it had a proposal to make.

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The BJP had forged an electoral understanding with the IPFT ahead of the 2018 Assembly election and the tribal regional party was offered nine ST reserved seats in the 60-member Assembly.

Of the nine seats, the IPFT won eight in the last elections.

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In the subsequent elections to 28-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), held two years back, the BJP allotted 14 seats for IPFT, but it failed to bag any, with newly floated Tipra Motha sweeping the crucial election with 18 seats in its kitty.

State revenue minister and IPFT supremo NC Debbarma told reporters, “Party leaders and supporters will be in Delhi to observe Statehood Day on August 23. On the sidelines of the programme, a delegation will meet BJP national president JP Nadda and other central leaders and hold talks for a pre-poll alliance.”

Tripura, who is the BJP state vice president, insisted that the regional party should meet the state unit leadership over the matter.

“There is no need to meet BJP's central leadership for an electoral understanding or seat adjustment. The IPFT has been an ally of the BJP even before the election. IPFT leaders can meet BJP state president and the chief minister if they have any point to make regarding alliance formation,” the parliamentarian said.

He also pointed out IPFT's organizational base has "weakened" in the tribal belt after it suffered a major split due to differences between two groups of leaders.

“The party itself is like a divided house with Mevar Kumar Jamatia, once a trusted lieutenant of NC Debbarma, reportedly planning to join another party. Besides, it could not win a single seat in the tribal council election which goes on to show that it (IPFT) has lost its ground,” Tripura added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)