Agartala:

Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, whose social gathering is being seen because the x-factor on this Tripura election, as we speak dominated out the BJP’s claims of a tacit understanding with the Congress-CPM alliance and mentioned his loyalty lies solely together with his supporters.

In an unique chat with NDTV, Mr Debbarma mentioned he has outdated pals in lots of events, together with the Congress, and he had been greeting them each time he met them throughout ballot conferences.

Requested if such conferences have been indications of any political understanding as alleged by the BJP, he replied, “I’m the king of my very own world. I haven’t got to take heed to (BJP chief JP) Nadda ji, I haven’t got to take heed to Sonia ji, I’ve to take heed to my inside voice. I’m an unbiased chief of my very own social gathering. I haven’t got to go by the diktats by what the Dwelling Minister says or what Congress president Kharge ji says. I’m going to go along with what my coronary heart says. It’s my private resolution. I shouldn’t have to take heed to any orders.”

Talking additional on how he maintains good equations with leaders of different events, regardless of their political affiliation, he mentioned, “If Shiv Sena can assist Pratibha Patil in presidential election and Mamata Banerjee can lengthen assist to Pranab Mukherjee, why cannot I believe Mr X is an efficient human being and Mr Y shouldn’t be?”

The comment comes in opposition to the backdrop of Dwelling Minister Amit Shah’s cost that Tipra Motha has a “secret understanding” with the Congress and the CPM and that voting for the tribal social gathering means voting for the Communists.

Tipra Motha is contesting 42 out of the 60 Meeting seats. This contains the 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidates. In 2018, the BJP and its ally Indigenous Folks’s Entrance of Tripura (IPFT) gained 18 of those 20 seats. Mr Debbarma, a scion of the Tripura’s ersthwhile royal household, mentioned this time the BJP was in for a “impolite shock”.

Requested if the gang in his rallies would convert into votes within the poll, he replied, “If rallies usually are not an element, then why is (Prime Minister) Modi ji not holding avenue nook conferences?”

Most of the seats Tipra Motha is contesting are exterior the tribal belt and rivals have scoffed and predicted a colorless present. The chief, nevertheless, mentioned he’s assured of an all-round good present. “Tipra Motha is probably the most inclusive social gathering. We’ve given it to tribals, Bengalis, Scheduled Castes, Manipuris.”

To a query on whether or not he fears a counter polarisation of Bengali votes since his social gathering has been pushing its statehood demand for a Better Tipraland, Mr Debbarma mentioned, “I’m not in opposition to Bengalis. The people who find themselves in opposition to the Bengalis are within the BJP. Their vice-president needed Biplab Deb, a former Chief Minister, deported to Bangladesh. IPFT stands for polarisation.”

Stressing that his household by no means differentiated between folks, he mentioned, “We’ll at all times stand for an inclusive society. What we wish is a political separation of Tripura so that folks residing within the autonomous areas (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council), together with Bengalis, Muslims, tea backyard employees, Manipuris, they get their rights.”

Within the run-up to the election, Tipra Motha had held discussions with the BJP on forging an alliance, however the talks hit an deadlock over the separate state demand.

Requested which social gathering he would facet with it if the multi-cornered ballot combat throws up a hung end result, he mentioned he wouldn’t budge from his social gathering’s core demand.

“In the case of media, I’ve a really delicate nook for NDTV and with regards to events, I’ve a really delicate nook for individuals who have voted for us, who’ve hoped that we are going to not betray our motion. I’ll solely stick to them and never with any political social gathering. If they provide us a Constitutional resolution, we are going to speak, but when they do not, I’d moderately sit within the Opposition than betray the motion and the folks.”

He added, “My line is Tipra Motha, like NDTV’s line is belief.”

On his mimicry abilities, he mentioned, “Mimicry is an artwork. You observe and you then improvise. I’ve at all times had an open coronary heart, I’ve at all times met everybody. I’m not a typical politician. I believe the time has come when politicians behave extra like human beings, frequent folks moderately than sitting of their palaces and thrones.”

He additionally alleged {that a} BJP MLA had entered one of many polling cubicles and had tried to grab voters’ identification playing cards. “That is regular, they did this within the Lok Sabha (polls), however I do not assume you possibly can intimidate 2.2 million folks,” he mentioned.

On the BJP’s claims that ballot malpractices occurred throughout the CPM rule, he mentioned, “That is why the folks have been disgusted and voted for the BJP. The BJP ought to have learnt that the Left was routed due to intimidation. Folks do not like bullies.”