AGARTALA, April 26 (TIWN): The People's Front of Twipra (IPFT) has reiterated its demand for a separate tribal land by the name of 'Twipra Land' as the date for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) poll comes closer. While the opposition political parties’ demand for direct funding to ADC has become a matter of concern for the ADC poll declared to be held on May 3.

The ruling CPI-M has recently stood as a barrier to the long term demand of separate state alleging a tribal-based party was trying to incite people along the communal lines before this year's election of the 28 member TTAADC. But the opposition political parties here at the state have been recently witnessed blaming the Left front govt. to shoulder such unworthy demand - “Twipra land”.

Congress Chief Birajit Sinha along with the BJP State President Sudhindra Das Gupta recently announcing the candidates lists for the general election to TTAADC claimed, “The ruling Left front govt. should have to shoulder the unworthy demand for separate state raised by the IPFT, because it is the left front govt. under whose regime the ADC has been deprived at large and has ultimately led the IPFT with a section of tribal youths demanding for the separate state for them.”

While the CPI-M in wake of the ADC poll has launched a counter nasty against ‘separate state’. The party has decided to reach out people, especially the tribals, over the ‘divisive agitation that would destroy peace and encourage extremist elements’. “IPFT is a mask of the extremists. The demand for a separate state is aimed at creating fresh trouble in the peaceful state”, CPI-M claimed.

However but what makes the growth story interesting to ADC poll is that keeping eye to gain a momentum in the election the opposition congress and the BJP have hit the CPI-M rather on the issue of the separate state. “Though we do not support the demand of Twipra land but the dirty role of ruling Left front govt. has become a reason for the section of tribal people in the ADC to demand for separate state,” Congress and BJP claimed.

It is worthy to be mentioned here that another tribal party Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura INPT denies the demand of “Twipra land”, saying, “Our main demands are direct funding by the Centre and uniform empowerment of the tribal councils.” The Congress and the BJP had also supported the demand.

Opposition demanded direct funding from the Centre to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) for faster development of the tribal people. 

Elections to the TTAADC would be held on May 3 and a total of 7,58,554 electors, including 3,75,117 women, were eligible to vote. Of the 30 seats, 28 would be filled through direct elections, out of which 27 are reserved for tribal, while two members are nominated by the government.