AGARTALA: Three BJP supporters were injured in an attack allegedly by members of the party's regional ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) on Friday evening at Mohanpur in northern Agartala . The incident brings up again the fissures between the coalition partners at the grassroots level in tribal-dominated areas.The incident occurred at Gamchakobra village under Lefunga police station. BJP workers were conducting a meeting at the residence of a party member, Bir Bikram Debbarma, on preparations for the Lok Sabha election next year. Nakul Debbarma, president of BJP's tribal wing Janajati Morcha, was present at the meeting."A group of youths - members of IPFT - stormed the house and objected to the meeting, claiming that the area has long been dominated by IPFT and no activity by BJP would be allowed. BJP workers, being more in number, managed to prevent the attempt and the youths fled the spot," Nakul said. He added, "Within an hour, more than a hundred IPFT youths returned and launched an attack. They vandalized the bikes and cars parked in front of the house and started pelting stones at the house, injuring the house owner. They threatened the BJP workers and asked them to leave the party."Police have initiated a probe into the matter. "An FIR has been filed against seven people but no arrests have been made. We are investigating the incident," Ramendra Debbarma, officer in charge of Lefunga police station said. He added that forces have been deployed in the area.On Saturday, members of the local BJP unit staged a protest on the Agartala-Khowai road near Lefunga block, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. Lefunga wore a deserted look as IPFT workers also took to protesting, staging a sit-in in front of the local bank branch.The bone of contention for the two parties, it appears, is a dispute over the appointment of chairpersons of Block Advisory Committees of rural blocks in a few areas. BJP had reportedly not agreed to allot the post to IPFT members, leading to a rift. IPFT sources said party president NC Debbarma wrote to North East Democratic Alliance convener Himanta Biswa Sarma, in response to which he wrote that he would try and visit the state soon to resolve these differences.

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