The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), now a part of the ruling alliance of Tripura, has raked-up its long-standing demand of a separate “Twipraland” which is supposed to be carved out of Tripura itself.
The IPFT raised its demand in Delhi on Monday during a rally of the National Federation of New States.
When asked whether the step taken by them – despite being part of the state government – is unconstitutional or not, IPFT President NC Debbarma said he would not comment on the matter. NC Debbarma is also the revenue and fisheries minister in Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s cabinet.
IPFT is taking a tough stance with the BJP over this issue.
Tripura Member of Parliament (MP) Jitendra Chaudhury, who belongs to the opposition CPI-(M) in Tripura, said: “Since the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-installed government in Tripura, IPFT has made it clear that they give paramount importance to the separate Twipraland demand.
“But being the bigger ally, the BJP should make its stance clear on the issue of separate statehood demand as well.”
“This is not to suggest that the separate statehood demand in India is unconstitutional. But the demand should be based on a perspective. It is socially, culturally and geographically not feasible to vivisect Tripura,” added Jitendra Chaudhury.
Congress Vice-President Tapas De said: “The cat has tumbled out of the bag. How can a cabinet minister take part in such a movement which is against the interest of the state? The chief minister [of Tripura] is answerable to the people as well.
“On the other hand, the chief minister’s visit to Delhi at the moment bears significance as well.”
Tripura’s Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarman, who is accompanying Chief Minister Biplab Deb in Delhi, was unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts to contact him over phone.
BJP has 36 seats and its ally, IPFT has 8 seats in the Tripura Legislative Assembly.
The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) was formed in 1996 after the Indian government banned National Liberation Front of Tripura following a massive crackdown by the police, writes Indian Express. A year later, the party merged with Tripura Upjati Juba Samiti and Tribal National Volunteers and renamed themselves as the “Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT).”
IPFT made its first political breakthrough in 2000 by winning a seat in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council with support from National Liberal Front of Tripura (NLFT), reports Indian Express. The party, however, lost successive elections in 2003 and 2008 “that resulted in a massive split within the party.”
In 2016, the party again came into the political arena with a demand for a separate state for tribals, Twiparaland, which was one of the largest historical kingdoms in north-east India, adds the news outlet.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
