Tripura Elections: How BJP manifesto is trying to neutralise TIPRA's tribal call, Congress-Left tie-up

In 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power in Tripura for the first time, with the help of ally IPFT. The saffron party ended 25 years of continuous rule by the Left front.

However, less than a year before the next Assembly elections, the BJP changed the state Chief Minister, with Biplab Deb resigning and making way for Manik Saha. The change was seen by many as an admission of anti-incumbency.

Now the party is facing an alliance of the Congress and Left, a relatively new party - TIPRA Motha - hoping to capture tribal votes, and a foray into the state by West Bengal's ruling party Trinamool Congress. The BJP's manifesto has attempted to address the challenges posed by the varied Opposition.

Here are some highlights.

The biggest focus in BJP's vision document is the tribal community, with the party promising more legislative, executive, and financial powers to the autonomous tribal council if it wins. The BJP also said it would place IGP-level officers in tribal council areas for the effective maintenance of law and order. Also, tribal courts would be set up in TTAADC areas to preserve customary laws and traditions.

On the financial front, the party promised population-wise fund allocation and their timely transfer to the tribal council. A new Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Tribal University and the addition of the tribal language of Kokborok to CBSE and ICSE curricula are also part of the promises.

Also watch: PM Modi to address two rallies in Tripura on February 11

Among the larger promises, the BJP said that it would implement a ₹5 meal-for-all scheme, named after Anukul Chandra. Every girl child would get a ₹50,000 Balika Samriddhi bond. If BJP is re-elected, its government would add ₹2,000 to the ₹6,000 given to farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme by the Central government.

Also, a new Regional Institute of Medical Sciences would be set up in Agartala. On the economic front, industry-specific manufacturing zones would be set up for rubber, agar, and bamboo.

BJP's critics have accused the ruling party of being silent on the creation of jobs, as well as pension and Dearness Allowance (DA) hikes for more than 1.8 lakh government employees.