Amid differences with ally BJP, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) has now sought separate benches for their MLAs in the state legislative assembly.
Since the coalition government assumed charge in March 2018, IPFT supremo and Revenue Minister Narendra Chandra Debbarma has been sitting right beside Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Devvarma and Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in the state Assembly. All other IPFT legislators have been sitting closely with their BJP colleagues.
IPFT’s demand for separate benches in the House comes after the party failed to strike alliances with BJP in the panchayat bye-elections, Lok Sabha polls and the ongoing rural body elections.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, IPFT spokesperson Mangal Debbarma said party leaders had written to Tripura Assembly Speaker Rebati Mohan Das seeking provisions for separate benches in the Assembly.