Greater Tipraland not possible, says Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday asserted that the fulfilling of Greater Tipraland demand by the Tipra Motha will not be possible because its proposed boundary passes through not only Assam and Mizoram but also neighbouring Bangladesh.He also alleged that the regional party is trying to fish in troubled waters in the upcoming assembly elections and is indulging in creating division between tribal and non-tribal people.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday asserted that the fulfilling of Greater Tipraland demand by the Tipra Motha will ''not be possible'' because ''its proposed boundary passes through not only Assam and Mizoram but also neighbouring Bangladesh''.

He also alleged that the regional party is ''trying to fish in troubled waters'' in the upcoming assembly elections and is indulging in ''creating division between tribal and non-tribal people''. "What is the boundary of Greater Tipraland? I heard that its proposed boundary passes through not only Assam and Mizoram but also neighbouring Bangladesh. Will they accept the proposal of Greater Tipraland? "It is is not possible,'' he said during the BJP's 'Vijay Sankalp' rally in South Tripura's Belonia.

Accusing the Tipra Motha of trying to ''create a division between people, Saha said the northeastern state has a ''tradition of sharing good relations between tribal and non-tribals''.

The TIPRA Motha led by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, which rules over the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council on its part, has been demanding a 'Greater Tipraland'.

Elections to the 60-member Tripura assembly will be held on February 16, and counting of votes will be on March 2. Saha claimed that the Centre is focusing on the development of all the northeastern states.

In a veiled attack on the CPI(M), the CM said ''what the BJP-IPFT government has done in five years, the others could not achieve in 35 years''.

Saha said the CPI(M) and the Congress have forged an alliance ''because of vibrant democracy prevailing in the state''.

"It is very strange that Congress leaders are coming out of CPI(M) offices and Communist workers are visiting Congress offices. How has the Congress joined hands with the CPI(M) which had killed 69 Congress leaders and workers in the undivided Belonia of South Tripura district,'' he said.

The chief minister, who attended two more rallies, urged the Congress leaders and workers to join the BJP.

Earlier, Saha visited the Tripureswari temple in Udaipur's Gomati district and offered prayer there.