New body of Tripura tribal Council takes oath today

AGARTALA, March 19: The new ruling council of the Tripura on March 19 Tribal Areas District headed by Chief Executive Member Kripa Mohan Reang was sworn in at the ADC headquarters at Khumlawng. There are four executive members besides the Chairman and CEM in the new Council. Instead of nine as it was in the previous Council headed by Debabrata Koloy. Spokesman of the ADC ruling party, Indigenous Peoples' Front of Tripura, Bijoy Hrangkhawl said that later one more executive member might be inducted in the Council. He said, the IPFT would move the Centre to create a post of vice-chairman in the Tripura ADC. To create the lost of vice-chairman in the ADC formed under the Sixth Schedule, an amendment to the Constitution would be needed. An important feature of the new Council is that the CEM post aspirants Sridam Debbarma who, in fact, engineered a split in the IPFT, forcing incumbent CEM Debarata Koloy to quit the post, was not included in the Council. Debbarma boycotted the high-power meeting of the front which nominated Kripa Mohan, considered a darknorse in the race for top post, as CEM. Later, with hurt ego Debbarma himself 'desired' not to be included in the Council. This for the second time Sridam Debbarma and his mentor IPFT president Harinath Debbarma failed to make it to the top despite hectic efforts and pulling off successful dissension among the ruling Council. When the IPFT stormed into the ADC power citadel last April-May routing the ruling Left Front from its traditional Tribal bastion, allegedly with the direct help of gun-totting NLFT militants' Sridam Debbarma was the main contender for the post. But at that time, it was Debabrata Koloy belonging to the minority Halam community edged past him. Now once again even after Koloy resignation on March 9 last, he could not manage enough support in the high power committee in his favour. Political observers here feel that the decision of the IPFT to bring in Kripa Mohan Reang to the top cost was taken in attempt to come out of the front's image as a Tripuri chauvinist party. Kripa Mohan belongs Bru (Reang) community, the second largest tribal community out of total 19 in Tripura. However, there are already speculations in the political and press circle that going by the track record of the IPFT leadership, Kripa Mohan Reang and his Council would face dissension once again. The new Council included Krishnakanta Jamatia, Mohan Debbarma, Benoy Debbarma and L V Darlong. Jamatia and Darlong belong to the minority tribal communities.