Trinamool effect? BJP president JP Nadda, Tripura CM Biplab Deb discuss Cabinet reshuffle, possible alliances

Chief Minister Biplab Deb visited Delhi last week and met party president JP Nadda where they both discussed accommodating new faces in the Cabinet and exploring possible alliances in the run-up to assembly polls.

Sensing an emerging threat from the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2023 Tripura assembly election 2023, the Bharatiya Janata Party is scrambling to put its house in order. Chief Minister Biplab Deb visited Delhi last week and met party president JP Nadda where they both discussed accommodating new faces in the Cabinet and exploring possible alliances in the run-up to assembly polls.

According to ANI, Nadda had asked the Tripura CM to focus on strengthening the party in the state and not cede space to the opposition. The BJP, which had earlier said that the TMC is not a credible force in Tripura, appears to have sensed a change of winds in the state and therefore, called the CM to the national capital. TMC has been making desperate attempts to make inroads in Tripura and other states in order to become a pan-India party and provide Mamata Banerjee with a national role.

TMC leaders including Abhishek Banerjee had recently visited Tripura in order to strengthen the party to take on the BJP.

According to the report, the BJP is exploring an alliance opportunity with Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman led Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA).

Both the leaders discussed various issues including probable alliances, organisational reshuffle and cabinet expansion apart from TMC’s activities in the state.

The NDA is Tripura constitutes of the BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). IPFT had made rounds to the national capital months ago to iron out differences in the alliances and demand jobs for tribals to strengthen the vote bank.

The BJP believes that IPFT’s support base has significantly eroded after it lost elections of Autonomous District Council elections.

According to the report, Congress leader Sushmita Dev who resigned from the party today may join the TMC and be given some responsibility in Tripura. Dev’s father had won from Tripura West parliamentary constituency. The 60-member Tripura Assembly is scheduled for polls in 2023.