BJP ally demands separate state for indigenous groups post-Tripura win

Agartala: A day after winning Tripura elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) has put the demand for a separate state for the tribals back on the table.

Party president N C Debbarma said, "The elections are a separate issue, our demand has for years been to create a separate state for tribal people of Tripura. We are hopeful that the Central Government will form a high-level monitoring committee to look into our demand."

Debbarma further said that he wanted the core issues of the indigenous people to be addressed on priority.

"Development activities are a regular exercise, whichever political party may be in power, so the demand will continue", he added.

The BJP and its ally on Saturday scripted history by ending the 25-year reign of the Left Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with a two-thirds majority in the Tripura legislative assembly elections.

Debbarma defeated the CPI(M)'s Ramendra Debbarma in Takarjal constituency.

The IPFT has been fighting for a separate state for tribals since its inception in the year 1997.