Agartala: Royal scion and founder of Tipra Motha Pradyot Kishore Debbarman has renewed his call for Greater Tipraland as part of his campaign efforts to sway voters, following a considerable electoral challenge caused by breaking with BJP prior to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) election.Tipra Motha, which evolved from an NGO into a political party just prior to the last ADC election in 2021, has been advocating for Greater Tipraland — an area that comprises Tripura, part of Assam, Mizoram, and southern Bangladesh. Later, his alliance with BJP leading up to the 2023 assembly elections, pushed for a constitutional resolution to tribal issues.Nevertheless, while addressing supporters at an election rally on Thursday, Pradyot claimed that regions such as Comilla, Chittagong, Chakla Roshanabad, and Brahmanbaria in Bangladesh should be considered part of the envisioned Greater Tipraland. He suggested that with support from Thansa (Unity), this ambition could strengthen the tribal community, which has gradually become a minority over time.His remarks have provoked reactions within political circles, as these areas were incorporated into East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the 1947 partition of India, raising questions regarding the practicalities and historical implications of his demand.In reply to Pradyot’s comments, BJP has accused him and his party of making exaggerated promises to capture the votes of those in tribal areas during the ADC elections. They argued that such statements might mislead inexperienced and first-time voters in the hills.
