Factional Feud, Fragile Alliance: BJP Faces Test in Tripura
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
- Oct 28, 2025
- 1797
The sudden arrival of BJP MP and the party’s Northeast coordinator Dr. Sambit Patra in Agartala on Tuesday has drawn attention not merely as a routine organizational visit, but as a calculated intervention by the central leadership at a time when the Tripura BJP finds itself in the midst of serious internal turbulence and a visibly deteriorating alliance with the Tipra Motha Party (TMP).
Central Intervention at a Critical Juncture
Patra’s visit comes amid reports of factional rifts, organizational stagnation, and simmering resentment within the state unit. The BJP’s inability to elect a new state president despite repeated notifications underscores the party’s internal deadlock.
The continued extension of Rajib Bhattacharjee’s tenure — months after his term expired — symbolizes a larger crisis of consensus within the ruling party.
Political observers note that this paralysis is not an isolated administrative delay but a reflection of power struggles among multiple strongmen, each seeking to consolidate influence within the organization ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The central leadership’s move to dispatch Patra, known for his sharp communication skills and proximity to the national brass, suggests a bid to restore control and unity before internal dissent deepens further.
Alliance With Tipra Motha Under Strain
The BJP-TMP relationship, once seen as a strategic masterstroke to maintain tribal belt dominance, now appears increasingly brittle.
Both parties, despite being partners in government, have openly challenged each other in public forums, with leaders trading veiled barbs and competing for political space in the hills.
In recent months, mutual suspicion has escalated into sporadic violence, including attacks on party offices and physical confrontations between cadres. BJP insiders admit that the party has faced setbacks in the tribal regions, where TMP continues to enjoy stronger grassroots influence.
Adding to the friction, both organizations have launched aggressive joining drives in each other’s constituencies, a move that effectively undermines their power-sharing arrangement. Analysts suggest that this competitive posture indicates that the alliance is increasingly driven by compulsion rather than cooperation.
Tripura BJP’s Internal Equation: Growing Discontent
Beyond the alliance tensions, the BJP’s internal disquiet is equally pressing. The grassroots workforce, especially those who were instrumental in the party’s 2018 rise to power, reportedly feel marginalized in the current dispensation.
Many long-time workers accuse new entrants — some with prior affiliations to the CPI(M) or Congress — of monopolizing positions and influence, leading to eroding morale and factional resentment.
The failure to achieve a unified organizational structure has already manifested in district-level clashes and an increasing gap between the party’s top leadership and its base.
This disaffection, if left unaddressed, could significantly weaken the BJP’s election machinery in the coming years.
Strategic Implications and the Road Ahead
Patra’s ongoing consultations with Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, party MLAs, ministers, and MDC members indicate that the central leadership is closely monitoring the state’s political climate. His report to the high command is expected to determine the next phase of organizational reshuffle and alliance strategy.
However, analysts caution that temporary interventions will not suffice.
Without a decisive resolution of internal rivalries and a clear roadmap for managing its uneasy alliance with TMP, the BJP risks losing narrative control in Tripura — a state that once symbolized the party’s rapid expansion in the Northeast.
As things stand, Dr. Patra’s visit may serve as both a damage-control mission and a reality check for the party’s state leadership. Whether it can translate into cohesive political stability remains the real test for the BJP in Tripura’s evolving power matrix.