N C Debbarma, BJP’s ruling ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) supremo, on Thursday removed newly elected party president Mevar Kumar Jamatia and declared himself as the party president.
The development came a day after Jamatia asked party leaders to boycott an “illegal” meeting called by Debbarma, who is the state Revenue and Forest Minister, as it was allegedly conducted without the permission of the newly constituted state and executive committees.
Debbarma, however, did not cite any reason for removing Jamatia.
“Today, we held an interim state committee meeting of IPFT to finish the unfinished works of the last state conference. We could not reconstitute the central committee, central executive committee and central advisory committee then. All works are done now,” Debbarma said.
“Mevar Kumar Jamatia has been removed from the post of party president while I will continue to work as the president. MLA Prem Kumar Reang will be the working president to assist me. The party will decide Jamatia’s fate in the next conference,” he said.
The IPFT holds a conference every three years to reconstitute its state committee and executive committees. In the last such meet held on April 3 and 4, Jamatia who is the Tribal Welfare Minister, was elected as the president.
Reacting to Debbarma’s decision, Jamatia said, “It is unfortunate and I am upset. I was elected the president of the party and organisational polls were conducted as per rules. People will give their verdict.”
Interestingly, Dhananjoy Tripura, who was elected as the party general secretary in the state conference, remained in his position.
Debbarma claimed that 27 of the 33 divisional committee attended the interim conference. Four MLAs including himself were present, while three legislators did not join and one MLA Brishaketu Debbarma has already resigned from the assembly.
He iterated the IPFT will remain an ally of the BJP and “one or two leaders spreading rumours about the outfit merging with TIPRA Motha have been identified and disciplinary action will be taken against them”.
“The IPFT will continue to strive for Tipraland as it is our core demand,” he added.
