Tipra Motha Chief Pradyot Says Will Quit Politics After State Polls

Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma announced that he will quit politics after the February 16 Tripura assembly elections and will never seek votes as ‘Bubagra’ (king).

Addressing a rally here on the last day of the campaign on Tuesday, the scion of the former royal family of Tripura said many leaders had deserted him without understanding his feeling for putting up a fight to protect the rights of poor people who have no food, shelter, or education access.

"Today is my last speech on a political stage, and I will never seek votes as a Bubagra after the assembly elections. It pained me but I have fought a tough battle for you," he said.

"It is sure Bubagra will not be in politics after March 2, but I will be with my people forever. I will work for healthcare, education, and giving scholarships to the poor," he said while addressing an election rally at Charilam, around 35 km from Agartala.

Tripura will go to poll for the 60-member assembly on February 16, and counting will take place on March 2.

Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Deb Varma, another member of the erstwhile royal family, is the BJP candidate from the Charilam constituency.

"He (Jishnu Debbarman) knows when I take a challenge, I see only dofa (community). I will not give an inch of land to him in the battle," he said.

However, he added: "It is not a fight of the royal family... It is a fight for the poor who don’t have food, shelter, and education".

Subodh Debbarma is the Tipra Motha nominee in the Charilam constituency.

Debbarma also asserted that he is not anti-Bengali.

"The family that helped and respects Rabindranath Tagore and Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose needs no certificate of not being anti-Bengali," he said.

The party is contesting 42 of the 60 seats in Tripura.

(PTI Reported)