IPFT decides to contest Lok Sabha polls in Tripura on its own

The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, said Tuesday it would go it alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Mangal Debbarma, the spokesperson of the party, said the decision to field candidates in the two Lok Sabha seats in the state was taken on March 3, following the IPFT central committee meeting here.

"When BJP national president Amit Shah visited Agartala on January 5, we submitted a memorandum to him, demanding that the IPFT be allowed to field candidate in East Tripura constituency, reserved for Scheduled Tribe. He told us that he would get back to us on the matter, but never did," Debbarma, who is also the assistant general secretary of the party, told reporters. As Shah did not respond to the IPFT request, the party was compelled to take this decision, he said.

A five-member committee has been formed with IPFT president NC Debbarma as the chairman to select candidates for the two seats and discuss the modalities of election campaign, he added. BJP spokesperson Ashok Sinha, when asked about his reaction to the IPFT move, said every political party has the freedom to make a choice.

"It is up to the IPFT to decide what it wants to do for the Lok Sabha polls. Every political party is free to take its own decision. However, when it comes to the BJP, such decisions are taken by the senior leaders in Delhi," Sinha added.

(With inputs from agencies.)