Khumulwng battle turf: Clashes of narratives between BJP-TMP
Agartala Nov 22: Tensions between the BJP and its ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) after the recent Khumulwng incident reflects deeper political conflicts.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, without naming any party, described the incident as continuation of “Communist legacy” of violence.
In contrast, Minister and TMP MLA Animesh Debbarma blamed Police and demanded TMP MLA to be given charge of Home portfolio.
Clearly, these narratives add newer dimension to the intra-alliance squabbles with serious socio-political implications.
The violence – the latest one among many in the past – also indicate clashes are rooted less in ideology and more in competitive expansion into tribal areas ahead of the TTAADC polls, where both parties view organisational dominance as critical to their future leverage.
With emergence of TMP as the second largest party, BJP’s core political motive is to end its dependence on the volatile regional ally by building a direct mass base in the tribal belt.
As the party pushes to strengthen its organisation in tribal-dominated areas, local cadres of both sides increasingly treat each other as rivals rather than partners, turning the alliance into a zero-sum contest on the ground.
Also, Khumulwng, the TTAADC headquarters, becomes symbolically important: control here signals who truly is ahead in tribal politics in Tripura.
Dr Manik Saha’s response frames the violence as a continuation of a CPIM-era of political intimidation. He preferred shifting the discourse away from intra-alliance conflict to a familiar BJP narrative of battling an inherited culture of violence.
This rhetoric serves two political purposes: it preserves the façade of coalition unity by not directly blaming TMP. Also, it reinforces the BJP’s claim to be the guardian of democratic, welfare-oriented governance.
At the same time, his stress on strong action and independent policing sends a calibrated warning that even allies will not be spared if they are seen as destabilising law and order.
For TMP, the political calculation is different. Its strength flows from projecting itself as the uncompromising voice of tribal assertion.
Animesh Debbarma’s attack on the police and his provocative suggestion that a TMP MLA should handle the Home portfolio seek to expose BJP’s vulnerability on governance.
His statement was also a tactical move signalling to tribal voters that TMP will not remain a subordinate, silenced partner. The demand for Home is less about actually getting the ministry and more about highlighting the “failure” of the Home department.
According to political observers, the implications are significant. In the short term, both parties are locked in a risky game: neither wants a formal break before key elections, yet both must prove toughness to their respective bases.
Medium term, repeated flare-ups like Khumulwng can erode trust in state institutions among the people.
Long term, if the BJP succeeds in building its own tribal base, TMP risks shrinking into political irrelevance.
However, if TMP continues to mobilise tribal supports effectively, the alliance could fracture, reshaping Tripura’s coalition arithmetic which might not be a welcome ‘equation’ for BJP.
