NEW DELHI, Feb 12 ? In a big boost to NDA?s ally gathering spree, two regional parties of the North East including Mizo National Front (MNF) and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) have formally joined the ruling alliance. While MNF was formally admitted into the NDA fold yesterday by Defence Minister George Fernandes, who is its convener, a formal alliance between BJP and INPT was announced by BJP spokesman and Union Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley here today.
Meanwhile, in a letter to Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, the Defence Minister welcomed the MNF into the NDA. "The NDA is glad to admit the MNF as a constituent unit of the NDA", Fernandes, wrote in a letter. The Mizoram Chief Minister was stationed in Capital past one week negotiating with the ruling NDA partners. The Regional Party had earlier informed that MNF had resolved to become a constituent of the NDA at the Centre.
However, MNF?s entry in NDA fold was a mere formality as the ruling Party has become very close to the ruling Alliance and had been supporting it. The BJP and MNF besides some of the constituents of the North East Peoples Forum had an alliance during the recent Assembly election in Mizoram.
Meanwhile, BJP said that INPT has decided to join the NDA to fight the corrupt and divisive CPI-M-led Government in Tripura. The BJP said the NDA Government would take up the matter of greater empowerment of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council making it at par with the Bodoland Territorial Council. The same would be included in the common minimum agenda of the NDA and in the State manifesto.
As for the seat sharing, it was claimed that it would be decided in consultation among Trinamool Congress, BJP and INPT. But sources said that an agreement was clinched by which BJP would put up candidate for the reserved Tripura East Lok Sabha seat, while the three alliance partners would field a common candidate for Tripura West seat.