INPT confirms alliance with Congress, Pragya arrives state

Tripura Pradesh Congress and Indigenous Nationalist People’s Front of Tripura (INPT) today bridging all their distances announced a pre-poll alliance for the coming Lok Sabha elections slated to take place in two phases next month. INPT supremo, Bijay Kumar Hrangkhwal while speaking to the media persons at Agartala Press Club assured that the party would withdraw both of their candidates and would support the Congress.

In the joint press briefing where TPCC president Pradyot Kishore Debbarman was also present, Hrangkhwal said, the Congress and the INPT shares a strong relation since many years. And, as the TPCC president and AICC Chief Rahul Gandhi both have assured us to fulfill the demands we raised there is no need to go for the polls alone.

TPCC president Pradyot Kishore Debbarman however said, these Lok Sabha election is a test for us. It is a direct face-off between the divisive powers and uniting powers, a face-off between the forces who want to bring in Citizenship Bill and the others who want to scarp it. So it is the high time to get united and give a befitting reply to the BJP, she added.

When asked about the winning chances of this alliance, Pradyot said, in politics nothing is permanent. It is true that the performance of INPT and Congress was not up to the mark in the last assembly elections. But, we have shown our strength in the consecutive rallies organized at various locations of the state, he explained.    

Notably, the alliance came in to being due to a MOU signed between the Congress and the INPT leaders which ensures inclusion of Kokborok in the 8th schedule, direct funding to the autonomous territorial councils, more autonomy to such institutions and also scrapping of Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Meanwhile, in a separate press conference at the Congress Bhavan, the Congress party introduced the candidates for Lok Sabha elections. Pragya Debbarman, who is set to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the East Tripura Lok Sabha constituency today interacted with the media persons and shared her views. While asked of the first thing she would like to address after being elected as the MP, she replied, a responsible government should keep its promises. The members of parliament reflect the voices of the people of their respective areas. I as an MP will surely talk about the problems like unemployment and Citizenship Amendment Bill, she added.