Agartala, Jan 15: The TIPRA Motha Party on Thursday flagged key political and governance concerns after a delegation of its MLAs and MDCs met Chief Minister Manik Saha, pressing for adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok and timely elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

Addressing a press conference in Agartala, former MLA and party spokesperson Rajeshwar Debbarma said the meeting was held on Wednesday, against the backdrop of growing tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its junior ally TIPRA Motha, which currently governs the TTAADC.

Debbarma claimed the delegation’s request to meet the Chief Minister was initially turned down, but the meeting eventually took place after follow-up efforts. The delegation was led by Rabindra Debbarma, Executive Member in charge of Education in the TTAADC.

“During the meeting, we clearly raised two issues—the long-pending demand for adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok and the need to conduct TTAADC elections within the stipulated time,” Debbarma said. He described the interaction as cordial but stopped short of claiming any assurance from the Chief Minister.

When asked whether the government offered concrete commitments, the TIPRA Motha leader said the party had formally placed its demands and would now await a response. “We are hopeful and positive. The Chief Minister is the head of the state and is expected to act in the interest of Tripura. We do not wish to comment further at this stage,” he said, carefully calibrating his remarks amid alliance sensitivities.

On the demand for timely ADC elections, Debbarma said the party’s concern stemmed from past delays in democratic processes. He pointed out that Village Committee elections under the TTAADC were not held even after the completion of their five-year tenure.

“Elections are usually conducted on time. Given what happened earlier, it is our responsibility to remind the head of state. These elections are crucial for the people and for development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rabindra Debbarma said the Chief Minister informed the delegation that the letter submitted by TIPRA Motha demanding adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok had been forwarded verbatim to the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. However, no response has yet been received from either board. The Chief Minister, he said, suggested that TIPRA Motha representatives visit New Delhi to pursue the matter directly with the boards.

According to Rabindra Debbarma, the Chief Minister also indicated that he would hold discussions with the Chairman or Secretary of the Tripura Board of Secondary Education on the Roman script issue, though the TIPRA Motha leader alleged that the state government was “doing politics” over a demand pending for nearly five decades.

The renewed push by TIPRA Motha comes at a politically volatile moment. Relations between NDA partners BJP and TIPRA Motha have deteriorated in recent months, marked by clashes between supporters, attacks on party offices and sharp public exchanges—particularly over the Roman script issue, which Chief Minister Manik Saha has consistently opposed.

The tension is further heightened by the impending TTAADC elections, expected within the next two months. While TIPRA Motha currently holds power in the autonomous council, the BJP is keen to regain control, turning the ADC polls into a high-stakes political battleground.

With unresolved identity demands, rising electoral stakes and competing ambitions, the meeting with the Chief Minister appeared less a routine courtesy call and more a reflection of a fragile alliance under mounting political pressure.

Also Read: Meghalaya-Assam border talks to resume post-elections: CM

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