More than 5,000 voters from Tripura’s tribal-dominated areas have formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, signalling a potentially significant political shift ahead of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections due in 2026.
According to party leaders, a total of 5,050 voters from 1,706 families were inducted into the BJP during a programme organised by the party’s state unit. The event was coordinated by BJP general secretary Bipin Debbarma and witnessed the presence of senior leaders from the party.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Manik Saha launched a sharp attack on the CPI(M), alleging that indigenous communities were treated merely as a “ballot box” during the Left Front’s years in power. He said the BJP followed a people-centric approach and worked for the welfare of all sections of society.
Referring to the Left’s earlier electoral dominance, Saha remarked that the communists once assumed a significant number of Assembly seats were guaranteed for them. He claimed that growing political awareness among tribal voters had now altered that equation, leaving the CPI(M) unsettled.
The chief minister also emphasised unity, using the term ‘Thansa’ to describe collective harmony among different communities, including indigenous groups, Manipuris and minorities. He said such unity was essential to building what he described as a “new Tripura”.
Saha congratulated the new entrants, calling their decision timely, and expressed confidence about the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming TTAADC elections. He hinted at larger mobilisation efforts in the future, stating that a bigger political gathering would be held in Khumulwng when the election process begins.
The programme was attended by BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya, ministers Santana Chakma, Sushant Chowdhury, Tinku Roy, Sudhangshu Das and Bikas Debbarma, along with several MLAs and senior party functionaries.
The TTAADC elections in 2026 are widely expected to be a key political contest, shaping power dynamics in Tripura’s tribal regions.
