Ex-MP Rebati Tripura Exits Active Politics to Resume Teaching Career

From Parliament to the Classroom

Rebati Tripura, a prominent indigenous leader and former member of the Lok Sabha, has transitioned from the political arena back to the education sector. He recently assumed a position as a post-graduate teacher of political science at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Higher Secondary School in Agartala. This career shift marks a departure from his five-year tenure as a federal legislator representing the East Tripura (ST) constituency from 2019 to 2024.

Strategic Shifts and Internal Friction

The decision to return to teaching follows a period of marginalization within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite his historical role in expanding the party's influence within remote hill tracts and tribal communities, Tripura did not secure a senior post during the most recent restructuring of the state committee. His standing within the party faced complications due to his vocal opposition to Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, the founder of the Tipra Motha Party.

The BJP's electoral strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections further signaled Tripura's changing status:

• The party denied Tripura re-nomination for his former seat in East Tripura.
• Kriti Devi Debbarman, who debuted in politics via a strategic pact with the Tipra Motha Party, received the nomination instead.
• While the BJP maintained its seat through this alliance, the Tipra Motha Party simultaneously dealt the BJP several defeats in tribal autonomous district council elections.

Ideological Stances and Party Relations

Throughout his term, Tripura remained a consistent critic of the Tipra Motha Party's political methodology. While senior BJP leadership maintained a more cautious or diplomatic stance toward the regional power, Tripura was less reserved. However, he stopped short of publicly denouncing the BJP for its coalition and electoral arrangements with his political rivals. His return to the academic sphere highlights the shifting alliances within Tripura's tribal political theater, where the rise of regionalist forces has reshaped the national party's organizational priorities.

Source: The Hindu — National