Agartala : TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman has once again courted controversy, this time after his recent statement claiming, “I am the owner of Agartala, Teliamura and Kanchanpur.” The comment has sparked widespread criticism across Tripura’s socio-political spectrum, with many describing him as gradually becoming a laughing stock even among his supporters.

His remark has drawn sharp reactions from people of both tribal and non-tribal communities on social media, questioning why BJP’s top leadership has chosen to remain silent despite such a provocative statement. Leaders from the Congress, CPI(M), Trinamool Congress, and Amra Bangali have already issued strong reactions.

Political observers note that Debbarman’s frequent off the cuff remarks have created discomfort not only for the BJP-led state government but also for the state’s tribal intellectual class. Some allege that he has been using the royal family legacy and emotional sentiments of the Tiprasa people to further his personal interests.

Critics point out that while he himself criticized BJP that the past seven and a half years have not brought significant progress for Tripura’s tribal population, but Debbarman himself has managed to regain large properties and ensure his sister’s entry into Parliament on a BJP ticket. His legal claims over properties including the iconic Neermahal have further fuelled suspicions of political closeness with the ruling dispensation.

According to his detractors, the so-called bubagra has positioned himself as a defender of tribal rights while in reality prioritising his own interests. He speaks one thing today and another tomorrow, confusing his supporters, said a senior political analyst in Agartala.

Within BJP circles, there is also talk that a section of the party is indirectly giving oxygen to Debbarman’s rhetoric to weaken Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha. His Tuesday speech from Delhi, where he declared himself owner of key Tripura towns Agartala, TeliamuraandKanchanpur, has led to a storm of criticism online, with many branding the remark as anti-Bengali and divisive.

Some have even suggested that Debbarman is eyeing the chief minister’s chair, which could complicate BJP’s prospects in the upcoming ADC and Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, counter-narratives are also emerging. Many voices from the Left and Congress camp have reminded Debbarman that the socio-economic progress of Tripura’s tribal communities did not happen in a vacuum. They argue that after 1978, the Left Front government’s policy of mass recruitment in government jobs significantly uplifted tribal youth. Expansion of education, rubber plantations, housing, healthcare, and infrastructure in both villages and hills were possible because of Congress and Left governance.

They also recall that during Congress rule (1947–77) and the Left Front era, major institutions such as schools, colleges, NIT, medical and engineering colleges, paramedical and nursing institutes were established, giving tribal youth a chance to progress.

The formation of the ADC itself was a result of political will in Delhi and Tripura, when Congress and Left leaders pushed for it. Critics have urged Debbarman to reflect on his own family history, pointing out that his parents, Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore and Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi, were themselves beneficiaries of Congress-led politics, holding positions as MPs and ministers.

With the state’s development story, from the expansion of the Agartala airport to railway connectivity up to Sabroom, being seen as collective progress, opposition leaders argue that Debbarman’s narrative of betrayal and deprivation does not stand on firm ground.

As the debate continues, one thing is certain: Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s latest remark has reignited old questions about his political intentions, personal ambitions, and the future direction of TIPRA Motha in Tripura’s volatile political landscape.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally