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Agartala: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing a difficult political balancing act in Tripura, trying to hold together allies that have repeatedly clashed on the ground while also containing factional disputes within its own organisation, with the 2028 Assembly election looming as the larger test of whether the arrangement can hold.

IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma is one of the latest victims of political violence in Tripura. Photo: Special arrangement.

The latest flashpoint came on September 8, when Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) general secretary Swapan Debbarma filed a complaint alleging he and his driver were brutally attacked in Hezamara by supporters of TIPRA Motha. The incident took place just days after the BJP, TIPRA Motha and IPFT agreed to contest the upcoming Village Committee elections together.

IPFT minister Sukla Charan Noatia condemned the attack. Two days later, Noatia posted photos on social media where he was seen sitting with TIPRA Motha leaders in Shantirbazar in South Tripura to coordinate booth-level strategy for the very same polls.

A conflicted alliance

TIPRA Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma rejected allegations that his party leadership orchestrated the Hezamara attack.

On September 9, Ranjit questioned why the five police personnel accompanying Swapan did not intervene.

“The attackers will be identified by the police and they will get justice. But after the attack, why is there so much anger against Maharaj [Pradyot]? Maharaj did not order the attack,” Ranjit added.

IPFT Minister with TIPRA Motha leaders after the attack on Swapan Debbarma. Photo: Special arrangement.

The Hezamara confrontation fits a longer pattern of disputes between the ruling partners. Since the 2023 Assembly elections, a sort of political leadership is projected at the leadership level, however, at the ground level there has often been tension between party workers.

On August 22, just weeks before the attack, violence flared in Khumulwng where a local BJP office was attacked and vehicles were damaged, with BJP leaders alleging the involvement of TIPRA Motha members.

Similar clashes broke out during the April 2026 Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, which the parties contested separately. At Takarjala on April 10, Sepahijala District Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma was injured while intervening in a confrontation at the residence of BJP candidate Nirmal Debbarma.

These confrontations have persisted even outside election cycles. In July 2025, nine BJP functionaries were injured in Asharambari during a clash while attending a public screening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Mann ki Baat” programme. A subsequent clash in Hezamara left four people injured, including a journalist and BJP Janajati Morcha vice-president Mangal Debbarma.

IPFT sidelined in seat talks

The new electoral arrangement has largely bypassed IPFT, BJP’s oldest regional ally.

Following the meeting on September 4 in New Delhi between Union home minister Amit Shah, chief minister Manik Saha, TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, seat-sharing discussions moved to Agartala.

The BJP and TIPRA Motha held two rounds of bilateral talks, first at a private hotel on September 6 and then at the State Guest House on September 10. IPFT representatives were absent from both.

Speaking to The Wire on September 10, Minister of State and TIPRA Motha MLA Brishaketu Debbarma confirmed that the national leadership left the seat distribution matter to the local leaders.

“In Delhi, there was no discussion about seat sharing at all,” Brishaketu said. “Only that an alliance should be formed, that’s it.” He added that subsequent local meetings were held to sort out problems.

The party has publicly questioned its exclusion. On September 12, IPFT general secretary and minister Sukla Charan Noatia confirmed the party had received no official word on seat distribution.

“We are in the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] today. But officially, no communication has yet come to us on how many candidates will be given by the NDA, or how many seats will be shared or allotted to our party,” Noatia said.

The marginalisation sparked sharper........

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