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TMP slams Tripura govt over TTAADC land conversion

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
  • Feb 06, 2026
  • 1042

The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), a key ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura, on Friday indicated that it may approach the court against the state government, alleging illegal conversion of land under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) into a Nagar Panchayat.
The TTAADC covers nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s geographical area and is home to the state’s indigenous population, which constitutes about one-third of the total population. Elections to the TMP-governed autonomous council are scheduled to be held next month.
TMP founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma alleged that a government notification proposing the conversion of certain portions of TTAADC land into a Nagar Panchayat was unconstitutional and violated the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants special protections to tribal areas.
Addressing the media at Bishramganj in Sipahijala district after holding discussions with district officials over the demarcation of council land for the proposed Bishramganj Nagar Panchayat, Debbarma asserted that the law does not permit the creation of an urban local body within autonomous district council areas.


“The government cannot establish a Nagar Panchayat within district council territory. They are attempting to justify this move by citing past elections, but that does not confer legality. We possess proper maps and official documents, whereas they are relying solely on mouja records and outdated electoral data,” he said.


The scion of Tripura’s erstwhile royal family described the move as a “forceful occupation” of TTAADC land.
Clarifying his party’s position, Debbarma said TMP was not opposed to the formation of Nagar Panchayats per se, but strongly objected to what he termed the arbitrary and unlawful conversion of tribal council land without adherence to due legal process.
“Elections may come and go, but land cannot be taken illegally. People must be made aware of their constitutional rights. We will pursue all necessary legal remedies to uphold the law,” he said.
Reiterating that the establishment of a Nagar Panchayat within autonomous district council areas is not permitted under existing legal provisions, Debbarma said his party would seek judicial intervention to safeguard tribal autonomy.
In the 2021 TTAADC elections, the Tipra Motha Party won 18 seats, while the BJP secured 10. The council has a total strength of 30 members, of which 28 are elected and two are nominated by the Governor.
The TMP, which was once the principal opposition party in the 60-member Tripura Legislative Assembly with 13 MLAs, joined the BJP-led government ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and currently has two ministers in the state cabinet.