The IPFT, which once used to be the largest tribal party in the state, has largely lost its support in the last seven years, courtesy the rise of the Tipra Motha headed by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma (File Photo)National Federation of New States (NFNS) chief S G Sanyal supported the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura’s (IPFT) demand for a separate Tipraland state on Saturday.Addressing a rally organised by the IPFT at Mora Chowmuhani in Agartala to observe the 17th Tipraland Statehood Demand Day, he said: “I hope and I believe that the day when Tipraland becomes successful, then it’s only due to IPFT and not anyone else. The IPFT is with the NFNS. The NFNS will extend all possible support to the IPFT to realise the Tipraland dream.”He stated that the Tipraland demand is legitimate as per Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution and urged IPFT leaders to pressurise the Centre to get a separate state.“There was a time when your Tipraland demand under the leadership of N C Debbarma was becoming popular… I come from Vidarbha. A similar kind of movement happened in Vidarbha… You need to continue this movement (Tipraland) strongly,” he said.He further said, “If you want development, then I feel there is no way other than having a separate Tipraland. You have to fulfill the dream of N C Debbarmaji (former president of IPFT).”The IPFT, which once used to be the largest tribal party in the state, has largely lost its support in the last seven years, courtesy the rise of the Tipra Motha headed by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma.While the IPFT had been demanding Tipraland – a proposed separate state comprising Autonomous District Council areas of Tripura, the Tipra Motha has been demanding Greater Tipraland, seeking to include several villages outside the TTAADC (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council) areas.Story continues below this adThe TTAADC is non-contiguously spread over two-thirds of the state’s 10,491 square km area, and comprises nearly 30 per cent of Tripura’s population.Formed in 1997, the IPFT underwent several splits till it merged with the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) and resurfaced in 2009 with the demand of Tipraland.Last year, on August 23, the IPFT had organised a rally at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in an effort to take their demand for a separate state to a larger audience.August 23 is observed as Tipraland Statehood Demand Day since the elected body of the TTAADC was officially formed on that day in 1984.© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd