‘One Northeast Thansa’ rally held backing regional solidarity
Agartala Nov 27: In a show of regional solidarity, Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP president Conrad K. Sangma and Tipra Motha(TMP) chairperson Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Thursday pitched for a unified Northeastern front under the “One North East” initiative.
They asserted that only collective strength can secure land rights, cultural identity and long-term political safeguards for indigenous communities in the region.
Addressing the “One Northeast Thansa (Unity)” rally in Agartala today, Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma had announced that a nine-member committee was constituted to work out the details of the proposed common platform within 45 days with NPP’s J. M. Sangma as convener and former Nagaland Minister Mmhonlumo Kikon as member secretary.
Sangma emphasised that the people of the Northeast must move beyond internal divisions to preserve their land, customs, languages and cultural heritage.
He said earlier generations fought relentlessly for the region’s development, but fragmentation has weakened the collective voice.
Sangma underlined that regional forces must now recalibrate their strategies to secure constitutional protections and strengthen the federal structure for the next decade.
Taking the podium, Pradyot Kishore criticized national political entities, alleging that they have systematically undermined regional forces across the country.
“National parties have effectively weakened or eliminated regional players in states like Assam, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Punjab, suggesting that the powers in Delhi do not favor the people of the Northeast,” Debbarma claimed.
The TMP leader leveled accusations regarding administrative bias, claiming that bureaucratic hurdles arise exclusively when his party organizes public gatherings in the state capital.
Without explicitly naming the BJP-led Tripura administration, he pointed out that while rallies by the CPIM and Congress proceed without objection, public meetings called by the TMP face immediate resistance.
The ‘One Northeast Thansa’ rally also saw participation from notable tribal and regional leaders, including former Manipur Assembly Speaker Hemochandra Singh, Dima Hasao’s People’s Party founder Daniel Langthasa, NPP National Working President J. M. Sangma, former Nagaland Minister Mmhonlumo Kikon, Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front founder Ajoy Edwards and Manipur’s veteran leader R. K. Meghen.
Their presence signalled the potential consolidation of a multi-state regional network aimed at coordinated advocacy in the future, TMP sources said.
The TMP Chief reiterated the demand for Tipraland and renewed his call for a joint front of regional parties to safeguard tribal rights.
Debbarma argued that the future of indigenous populations depends on political unity and sustained pressure on the Centre for constitutional recognition.
Notably, the TMP continues to demand “Greater Tipraland”, a separate state under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Besides, TMP is also demanding early polls to Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), and firm action against illegal migration.
