The Tripura Congress party held discussions with the main Opposition parties TIPRA (Tipraha Indigenous Peoples Regional Alliance) and CPI(M) to form an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
However, the final decision on seat adjustments will be made by the central leadership.
“We are currently laying the groundwork and discussing feasibility, but the final negotiations will take place in New Delhi,” state president Ashish Kumar Saha told The Hindu on Thursday.
Out of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, one is reserved for tribal communities. Currently, both seats are in the hands of the ruling BJP.
The congress expects TIPRA to at least join the INDIA alliance, but the final stance of the regional party is yet to be known.
Although similar negotiations took place between the parties before the last Assembly election, TIPRA had then decided to contest the elections alone.
Notably, TIPRA’s founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman and other senior leaders are currently in New Delhi to put forward their demands before the union government for a constitutional solution to the problems faced by indigenous people in the State.
They received invitation from the Union Home Ministry after Mr. Debbarman staged a fast-unto-death protest.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has also expressed its willingness to discuss the possibility of a collective fight against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.
“We are open to compromise and there is a room for negotiation,” said the party leader and former Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar.
The party has called for a meeting on Friday to discuss election-related matters.
