The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of ruling BJP in Tripura, formed a panchayat board in West Tripura district with the 'support' of two opposition CPI(M) members.
In the by-election to the nine-member panchayat of Binapani village which was held on September 30, the IPFT, BJP and CPI(M) had won three seats each.
The IPFT with the support of two CPI(M) members formed the panchayat board of Binapani village on October 26. Dhirendra Debbarma of the IPFT was elected the pradhan and Gopal Shil of the CPI(M) became the deputy pradhan.
When contacted, secretary of the CPI(M) West Tripura district, Pabitra Kar said Gopal Shil who won on CPI(M) ticket had been expelled from the party 'for hobnobbing' with the IPFT about a month ago and the other candidate, who won on CPI(M) ticket was "forced to support" the IPFT.
"We cannot support a party like IPFT, which raised the demand for a separate state by carving out the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council," Kar told PTI.
BJP spokesperson Ashoke Sinha said, "This is a trivial incident and would not influence the state politics anyway."
IPFT assistant general secretary, Mangal Debbarma told reporters that they got the support of the majority members and formed the panchayat. He denied allegations of his party maintaining clandestine understanding with the CPI(M).
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