Tipra Motha Party

The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), also known as the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, is a regional political party and previously a social organisation in Tripura, India.^[5][6] The TIPRA is led by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma.^[7][8] It is currently the second largest party in Tripura Legislative Assembly.^[9]

Tipra Motha Party
Abbreviation	TIPRA / TMP
Leader	Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma
President	Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl
Presidium	Politburo
Founder	Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma[1]
Founded	2019
Headquarters	Manikya Dynasty Heritage Residential House, Ujjayanta Palace, Palace Compound, Agartala, Tripura 799001
Student wing	Tipra Indigenous Students Federation
Youth wing	Youth Tipra Federation
Women's wing	Tipra Women Federation
Ideology	Tripuri nationalism[2] Ultranationalism Tipraland independence[2][3] Regionalism Separatism Right-wing populism Anti-immigration Anti-Bengali sentiment
Political position	Far-right
Colours
ECI Status	State Party (Tripura)[4]
Alliance	NDA (2024-Present) NEDA (2024-Present)
Seats in Tripura Legislative Assembly	13 / 60
Seats in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council	20 / 30
Election symbol
Party flag
Politics of India Political parties Elections

History

Tipra Motha Party flags at a rally in Agartala in 2022.

On 25 Feb 2019, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma was appointed the President of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee.^[10][11] Within a few months, Deb Barma resigned from the Pradesh Congress President post, accusing the Congress high command of pressuring him to accommodate 'corrupt people'.^[12] Almost three months later, he formed a social organisation to work for the rights of the indigenous people.^[13]

On 5 February 2021, Deb Barma announced that his organisation had become a political party and would contest the 2021 Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council election.^[14][15]

The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), Tipraland State Party (TSP) and IPFT (Tipraha) merged with the TIPRA in 2021.^{[16][17][18][19]}

TIPRA Motha contested the 2023 Tripura Legislative Assembly Election fielding over 42 candidates in different constituencies. The party won 13 seats and became the first regional party in Tripura to become the main opposition.^[20]

In March 2024, Tipra Motha joined Manik Saha-led Tripura government and Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma, took the oath as ministers and Minister of State.^[21][22]

Ideological positions

TIPRA's main objective is the creation of a new state called 'Greater Tipraland' under the Article 2 & 3 of the Constitution of India.^{[2][23][14][24][25]} The Motha emphasises Tipra nationalism, using the slogans "Puila Jati, Ulobo Jati" and "Puila Jati, Ulo Party" (Community first, party later).^[3] It aims to first empower and emancipate the Tiprasa people before anything else. The party sees its activities as peoples' movement rather than a political one.^[26]

In 2023, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Tipra Motha of being allied with Congress and the CPI (M).^[27] This was denied by Deb Barma, who claimed he could not be a communist ally due to his royal ancestry, being the son of the last King of Tripura.^[27]

Members of Parliament

Year	Map	Lok Sabha	Portrait	Member of Parliament	Constituency	Margin
2024		18th Lok Sabha		Kriti Singh Debbarma[28]	Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency

List of Ministers

Cabinet Minister

Sr.no.	Portrait	Minister	Ministry	Duration	Ministry	Constituency
1.		Animesh Debbarma	Forests General Administration (Printing & Stationery) Science, Technology, and Environment	7 March 2024- Incumbent	Second Saha ministry	Asharambari

Minister of State(MoS)

Sr.no.	Portrait	Minister	Ministry	Duration	Ministry	Constituency
1.		Brishaketu Debbarma	Industries and Commerce	7 March 2024- Incumbent	Second Saha ministry	Simna

Elected Representatives

List of Leader of Opposition

Year	Assembly		Portrait	Leader of Opposition	Duration	Constituency
2023	13th Tripura Assembly	1.		Animesh Debbarma	24 March 2023 – 7 March 2024	Asharambari

List of Members of Legislative Assembly

Year	Assembly		Portrait	MLA	Constituency
2023	13th Tripura Assembly	1.		Animesh Debbarma	Asharambari
		2.		Brishaketu Debbarma	Simna
		3.		Swapna Debbarma	Mandaibazar
		4.		Biswajit Kalai	Takarjala Assembly
		5.		Ranjit Debbarma	Ramchandraghat
		6.		Philip Kumar Reang	Kanchanpur
		7.		Manav Debbarma	Golaghati
		8.		Subodh Deb Barma	Charilam
		9.		Pathan Lal Jamatia	Ampinagar
		10.		Sanjoy Manik Tripura	Karbook
		11.		Nandita Debbarma (Reang)	Raima Valley
		12.		Chitta Ranjan Debbarma	Ambassa
		13.		Paul Dangshu	Karamcherra

Electoral history

TIPRA secured a majority in the 28-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections along with its ally the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT). TIPRA won 16 seats while the INPT won two seats.^[29]

The result not only ended the Left Front’s 15-year rule of the council but also became the only regional party to come into power in the council without an alliance with a national party.^[30]

Deb Barma and other party leaders addressing the crowd at a rally in 2022.

Deb Barma reaffirmed his earlier claim that the demand for Greater Tipraland would not be compromised at any cost and issued a stern call for victory in 2023. A massive gathering of thousands of indigenous people who travelled from all over the state to the Swami Vivekananda Stadium (Astabal Ground) complemented the term "Thansa." "Bubagra is not looking to argue. We abhor all forms of violence. We never oppose any group or faith. Our movement is to demand the rights that the Indian Constitution grants us, and we will succeed in our objectives, he continued.^[31][32][33]

Legislative Assembly elections

Election Year	Overall votes	% of overall votes	seats contested	seats won	+/- in seats	+/- in vote share	Sitting side
Tripura Legislative Assembly
2023	498,182	19.69	42	13	-	-	Opposition Later Government

Key Leaders

Member	Portrait	Current/ Previous Position	Party Position
Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma		Titular King of Tripura (2006 - Present) MDC - Jampuijala-Takarjala (2021 - Present) Former President of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee	Chairman
Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl		Chairman of TTAADC Advisory Committee (2021 - Present) MLA - Kulai, Tripura (1998 - 2013) Former President of INPT	National President, Central Working Committee and Politburo Member
Animesh Debbarma		Cabinet Minister of Tripura Government (7 March, 2024-present) Leader of the Opposition - Tripura Legislative Assembly (2023 - 2024) Former Deputy CEM of TTAADC (2021 - 2023) Executive Member-Industries, Cooperative, Agriculture, and Tribal Welfare (2021-2023) Former MLA, Kalyanpur-Pramodenagar Assembly constituency (2003 - 2008)	Central Working Committee and Politburo Member
Jagadish Debbarma		Chairman (Speaker)-Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (2021- Present) MLA- Mandwi Bazar, (1988-1993)	Central Working Committee Member and Elected Representative
Purna Chandra Jamatia		Chief Executive Member (CEM)- Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (2021- Present) MDC Killa-Bagma (2021 - Present)	Central Working Committee and Elected Representative Member
Brishaketu Debbarma		Minister of State (MoS) for Industries and Commerce, Tripura Government (7 March 2024- present) Deputy Leader of Opposition - Tripura Legislative Assembly (2023 - 2024) MLA - Simna (2018 - Present) Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee (2023 - present)	General Secretary (I/C), Organisation, Central Working Committee and Politburo Member
Rajeshwar Debbarma		Member of Tripura Legislative Assembly, (2008 - 2014)	National Political Secretary and Politburo Member
Mevar Kumar Jamatia		Minister of Tribal Welfare, Industries and Commerce, and Fisheries (2018-2022) MLA, Ashrambari (2018-2023)	Central Working Committee Member
Bhaba Ranjan Reang		Member of District Council of TTAADC, (2021 - Present) Executive Member- Agriculture and Land Records & Settlement (2021-Present)	Central Working Committee Member

See also

• List of political parties in India
• Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council

References

1. Ali, Syed Sajjad (29 March 2021). "IPFT puts pet Tipraland demand on the backburner". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
2. Colney, Kimi. ""We want self-rule": Pradyot Debbarma on his party's victory in Tripura tribal council polls". The Caravan. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
3. "Tripura: Former Congress state president calls for ethnic unity during anti-CAA protest". The Indian Express. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
4. "Recognition of Tipra Motha Party,as a State Party in Tripura". 10 April 2023.
5. "Tipra wins Tripura council polls". The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 18 April 2021.
6. Deb, Debraj (20 February 2021). "Tripura: 2 tribal parties merge with Pradyot-led front". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
7. "Tripura Royal scion launches 'apolitical' outfit to protect tribal rights". The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
8. Deb Barman, Priyanka (4 October 2020). "Tripura royal scion forges alliance with indigenous parties to work on NRC, CAA, empowerment". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
9. "BJP+ retains power, Tipra Motha 2nd largest". 2 March 2023.
10. Deb, Debraj (26 February 2019). "Tripura royal scion Pradyot Debburman appointed Pradesh Congress president". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
11. "Royal scion Pradyot Manikya appointed Tripura Congress president". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
12. "Tripura Congress chief resigns, accuses party of asking him to accommodate 'corrupt people'". The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
13. Deb Barman, Priyanka (26 December 2019). "Tripura's royal scion forms apolitical front to fight for indigenous people". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
14. Chakraborty, Tanmoy. "With a Call for 'Greater Tipraland', Tripura Royal Scion's Party to Fight District Polls". The Wire. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
15. Bhattacharjee, Biswendu. "Will contest upcoming ADC election: Pradyot | Agartala News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
16. "INPT merged with TIPRA Motha, Bijay Hrangkhal TIPRA Motha new President". tripurainfo.com.
17. "Tripura: INPT announces merger with TIPRA". Assam Tribune. 7 May 2021.
18. "Tripura: INPT merges with Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman's TIPRA". Zee News.
19. "Dramatic political twists in Tripura ahead of ADC polls". Northeast Today. 2 March 2021.
20. "Tipra Motha, the 2-year-old party that won 13 seats in Tripura". India Today. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
21. "Tipra Motha joins BJP-led Tripura government, two ministers take oath". India Today NE. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
22. "Tripura portfolio allocation: Animesh gets Science & Tech, Forest & Environ, Brishaketu is MoS Commerce & Ind". Northeast Live. 16 March 2024.
23. Deb, Debraj (23 February 2021). "Explained: What is the Greater Tipraland demand raised by royal scion Pradyot Kishore?". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
24. "Tripura's TIPRA holds mass gathering, demands 'Greater Tipraland'". aninews.in. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
25. "Tripura royal scion breaks down in tears during public address over non-participation of IPFT in 'Greater Tipraland' | english.lokmat.com". Lokmat English. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
26. "Tripura: TSF joins 'Greater Tipraland' movement". 8 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
27. Deb Barman, Priyanka (7 February 2023). "Tripura elections: TIPRA Motha in 'secret' alliance with Left, Congress, says Shah". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
28. Karmakar, Sumir. "BJP-Tipra Motha names Pradyot Deb Barma's sister Kriti Singh Deb Barma as candidate for LS polls". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
29. Ali, Syed Sajjad (10 April 2021). "Big win for TIPRA in Tripura ADC election". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
30. Umanand, Jaiswal (11 April 2021). "Tipra wins Tripura council polls". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
31. ""Mega gathering" of TIPRA Motha in Agartala, Pradyot calls for victory in 2023". tripuratimes.com. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
32. "Tripura: No more compromise with indigenous people, TIPRA Motha chief sounds poll bugle in mass gathering". India Today NE (in Hindi). 12 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
33. "One Last Fight For 'Greater Tipraland' Demand In 2023 Assembly Polls; No Compromise For Tiprasa Communities: TIPRA Motha Chairman". Northeast Today. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.