In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections scheduled for April 12, five leaders from the Tipra Motha Party have defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The leaders alleged corruption within their former party and expressed dissatisfaction over not being given adequate roles to serve the public.

The defectors include TTAADC Executive Member Ananta Debbarma, MDC Soudagar Kalai, former district president Rajesh Kumar Debbarma, Sub-Zonal Chairman Toshi Ram Reang from Damcherra, and former Zonal Chairman Surjabashi Molsom from Gomati district. They joined the BJP in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha.

Welcoming them into the party, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya said more leaders are likely to follow. He emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” and the state government’s goal of “Viksit Tripura,” the BJP remains committed to inclusive development, particularly for tribal communities.

Explaining their decision, MDC Soudagar Kalai said they had originally joined Tipra Motha to work for marginalized tribal populations living in remote areas. However, he claimed that internal politics, personal gain, and financial irregularities among party leaders have hindered genuine development efforts.

“There is widespread corruption within the party. Some leaders are focused only on money and personal benefits. We cannot continue working in such an environment,” Kalai alleged, adding that honest leaders are often overlooked despite their efforts.

He also questioned the transparency of party leaders, challenging them to present a public audit of their finances. Kalai further accused certain leaders close to party leadership of being involved in corrupt practices.

Echoing similar concerns, Executive Member Ananta Debbarma said he was not entrusted with meaningful responsibilities during his tenure. He stated that even after two years, he was assigned departments like Science and Technology and cooperative sectors, which he felt offered limited scope for public welfare work.

Despite repeated requests for more impactful roles and funding for development projects, Debbarma claimed his appeals were ignored. “I am one of the senior-most members, yet I was not given the opportunity to serve the people effectively,” he said.

The development comes at a crucial time, just weeks before the TTAADC elections, and could influence the political landscape in the tribal council areas of Tripura.