Debbarman, Sangma Lead Call for Unified Front Against Centralised Power Structures

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
• Nov 27, 2025
• 1345

The proposed “One North East” political platform assumed a more consolidated and assertive shape on Thursday as influential regional leaders from multiple northeastern states converged in Tripura, signalling the potential birth of a formidable supra-regional coalition aimed at recalibrating India’s political balance of power.

At a large-scale rally organised by the Tipra Motha Party at Swami Vivekananda Maidan, speakers articulated a shared grievance: that regional parties—despite their deep sociocultural rootedness and proximity to indigenous aspirations—had been relegated to marginal, subordinate roles within alliances dominated by national parties.

This marginalisation, they argued, has structurally undermined the political agency of the Northeast.

A Long-Term Political Architecture, Not an Electoral Patchwork

Leaders emphasised that One North East is conceived not merely as a tactical electoral front, but as a long-term ideological and strategic framework aimed at securing collective bargaining power for the region’s indigenous populations. The coalition aspires to transform disparate regional struggles into a unified political narrative.

Those who addressed the rally included Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, Assam People’s Party leader Daniel Langthasa, former BJP national spokesperson Mmhonlumo Kikon, and Indian Gorkha Janashakti Front leader Ajay Edwards—an unusually diverse political constellation underscoring the seriousness of the initiative.

Debbarman’s Charge: Resistance, Marginalisation, and the Quest for Unity

Pradyot Debbarman alleged that the rally itself had initially faced administrative pushback—an indication, he suggested, of deeper discomfort among national political actors. Linking the movement to the broader “Greater Tipraland” demand, he underscored that “Thansa” (unity) among indigenous communities is indispensable if the region is to overturn decades of political marginalisation.

Drawing parallels with the trajectories of parties such as the Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, AGP and BJD, he contended that national parties have historically taken regional allies for granted, often leaving even chief ministers waiting days for appointments with central leaders—an anecdote meant to highlight structural disrespect.

Sangma’s Intervention: Identity, Historical Struggles, and Collective Voice

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma contextualised the platform within the long historical struggles of indigenous peoples, arguing that internal divisions have fragmented the region’s collective political voice. He further asserted that One North East seeks to become “a voice for our youth who continue to face discrimination”, subtly invoking identity politics as a rallying force.

Cultural Erosion and Political Disempowerment

Other speakers—including Animesh Debbarma, Langthasa and Kikon—warned of systematic attempts to dilute the languages, cultures, and distinct identities of indigenous communities. They argued that unless regional forces consolidate their political energies, external actors will continue shaping the region’s destiny, often at the cost of local autonomy and sociocultural continuity.

Analytical Perspective: A Possible Turning Point for the Northeast?

The emergence of One North East signals a potentially transformative moment in northeastern politics. While the platform remains embryonic, its rhetoric and leadership composition indicate aspirations to function as:

• a counterweight to national party dominance,

• a collective pressure bloc on federal policymaking, and

• a trans-state alliance grounded in identity, autonomy, and cultural preservation.

However, the platform’s ultimate viability will depend on whether historically fragmented regional actors can sustain unity beyond symbolic solidarity and whether the initiative can translate emotive identity politics into a coherent, durable political programme.

For now, One North East has injected a new, assertive narrative into Indian federal politics—one that national parties may no longer be able to ignore.