AGARTALA, March 26 (TIWN): “We are hopeful that the Union Minister is likely to introduce the empowerment to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) bill in the next parliament session”, said INPT General Secretary Jagadish Debbarma.Speaking to the reporters at party office INPT General Secretary Jagadish Debbarma said that we have submitted a memorandum to the joint secretary of Union Minister namely Shambhu Singh on issues like empowerment of the autonomous district council.He said they want union government to introduce relevant bill to empower the tribal council in the next parliament session. Recognition of tribal dialect Kokborok as a schedule language would also be taken up, he informed.

However, later asked about the candidate list Debbarma said that since after the schedule of the TTAADC election is announced the INPT will announce its candidate lists. Earlier talking to TIWN Debbarma said that this year the INPT has an idea to field at least 5 to 6 women candidates during the TTAADC election. The entire ground work is ready for declaration.

“Our party has not taken any decision yet to go for alliance with any political party,” Debbarma said. INPT took a harsh stance on tribal issues after it's smaller rival Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) got a political edge by demanding a separate state to protect minority tribals. IPFT's recent programmes received huge response causing a matter of concern for other parties.

However, it is mentionable here that election to the 28-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) for tribals is drawing near the opposition parties have launched programmes to mobilise support of the indigenous communities. While the regional Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) has been campaigning for a separate state, the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), the other regional party, has been holding rallies across the hilly areas of the state.

The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) was formed under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 1987 to protect ad safeguard interest of people from the recognized tribal communities. The district council currently houses 19 indigenous communities. It covers 67 percent of the territorial area of the state.