BJP Ready To Resume Talks With Ex Royal's Party (Tipra Motha) In Tripura

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that talks between the BJP and the Tipra Motha, which emerged as the second-largest party, may resume but only on the condition of an "undivided Tripura".

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that talks between the BJP and the Tipra Motha, which emerged as the second-largest party, may resume but only on the condition of an "undivided Tripura". This was Mr Sarma's first visit to the state after the BJP retained power in the north-eastern state this week.

"This is a great victory and reaffirmation of faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The (BJP) karyakartas of Tripura worked very hard and we are very grateful to them. We owe a lot of our gratitude to the great people of Tripura," the Assam Chief Minister told reporters.

Talking about the possibility of talks resuming between the BJP and the tribal-based party, Mr Sarma, who led several rounds of negotiations with party supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, said that talks could resume but on the condition that Tipra Motha drops its demands for a separate state.

The demand for Greater Tipraland has been central to Mr Debbarma's poll campaign. "Our party is maintaining equal distance from the ruling BJP and the opposition CPM-Congress alliance ... I am not ready to compromise for the cause of Greater Tipraland," he had said ahead of the key election.