Tribals account for 20 seats in the 60-member Assembly. There are 10 Sixth Schedule areas in the Northeast-three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram, and one in Tripura.
In September last year, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC)-a Sixth Schedule body in Assam-went to polls, where the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) won. The BJP secured only five seats, four fewer than in 2020, and is now part of the ruling arrangement.
In Tripura, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) secured an absolute majority, marking its second consecutive win. The 30-member TTAADC has 28 elected and two nominated members and administers nearly 70% of the state’s 10,491 sq km area.
TMP, led by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, won 24 seats-six more than in 2021. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress again failed to open their accounts. In 2021, the BJP had contested 11 seats and won nine, with a BJP-backed Independent later joining TMP.
Though TMP is an ally of the BJP in the state government, both parties contested separately and were engaged in a bitter campaign, with clashes reported between their supporters in the run-up to the polls. Tribals constitute nearly one-third of Tripura’s 4.2 million population and remain politically decisive.
Debbarma posted on X: “We won! System lost! People’s will prevailed… TTAADC Election – 24 out of 28.”A delegation led by him met Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu in Agartala to stake claim to form the council. The term of the current council ends on Saturday.
Chief Minister Manik Saha said the BJP accepted the mandate with humility. “Congratulations to all winners and best wishes to the Tipra Motha Party. We see this as an opportunity to learn and come back stronger,” he said, adding that the party remained committed to development, unity and public service.
