Growing 'opposition' in Tripura

Tripura a known bastion of the Left, is witnessing widespread political turmoil with much happening in the opposition hemisphere. There is a growing opposition - in the form of various political parties except the Congress and which is an ongoing nation trend.

- Pinaki Das

The Left Front, which has been in power in Tripura for the last several decades, has much to worry as it has divided voters on their ideological difference with the Congress. However, this time with no other option, keeping a bay all its earlier ideological differences, the Left had to go for an “election alliance” in West Bengal with Congress in order to fight against the Trinamool Congress. CPI(M) central leaders says it is a decision taken by the local leaders of West Bengal to save the cadres from the atrocity of TMC sponsored hooligans and has nothing to do with Congress outside the state, especially in Kerala and Tripura where it shall keep equal distance as the party use to maintain earlier.

With the growth of the divided opposition in Tripura, apparently the Left Front should be happy but the various activities of the CPI(M) only suggest that it is not much in comfort and there are justified reasons behind this since the next assembly election to the state is scheduled sometime in early 2018.

A closer analysis will reveal that there has been reduction in the tribal vote of the Left Front in the recently held election for various bodies including the crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC) and the difference has been as large as eight per cent which can cause much difference in the next assembly election if it continues in the same trend.

Without not much new young blood in the tribal wing of the ruling CPI(M) - Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad (GMP), a major chunk, especially among the tribal youths have moved towards the expanding Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), a regional political party that is demanding a separate state comprising the TTAADC areas.