Tribal Council Polls: TIPRA takes massive lead as counting continues

AGARTALA: The Tipraha Indigenous Peoples Regional Alliance (TIPRA) has announced its arrival on the big stage by opening up massive leads in the early hours of counting in the Tripura Tribal Council election.

According to reports, the party has taken massive leads in as many as 10 Seats, and has virtually won those. BJP (2) and CPI-M (1) have also taken opened their accounts.

"In the rest of the 15 Seats, the counting is underway and it cannot be predicted who will win. However, TIPRA seems to have taken an early lead in many of those Seats as well," a source told InsideNE.

In spite of massive security arrangements made for a free, fair, and peaceful counting process, there is apprehension that post-poll violence may hit some sensitive areas.

Political parties like BJP and CPM expressed their concern as well as following the alleged attack on Tipra Motha chief Pradyut Kishore a day before the counting.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has appealed to the people for maintaining peace during the counting process.

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Calling an urgent press conference at 10.30 pm yesterday, the BJP's state unit alleged that "attempts were being made to create unrest in some places with direct instigation of CPM."

“BJP karyakartas know how to resist such attempts but they are keeping their patience high as they have already been asked not to fall into the trap,” said BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee.

Earlier, TIPRA chief and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma was attacked at Mohanpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office in West Tripura. The SDM office was also pelted with stones despite the security presence.

There were reports of violence and tension at Mohanpur. West Tripura Superintendent of Police Manik Lal Das told media that the police are investigating the issue.

“Pradyot Kishore went to the SDM’s office where there might have been some altercation. But he has reached back home safely and the situation is under control,” he said.

Speaking to reporters Friday evening, Debbarma said he came under attack from a group of ‘armed goons’ who forced their way inside the SDM’s office where he had gone to enquire about credentials of his party’s counting agents for Saturday’s counting process.

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