Manik Saha Takes Vow As Tripura Chief Minister, Joined by an 8-Member Team

Manik Saha took his second oath as Tripura Chief Minister today, following the BJP’s victory in the February 16 Assembly elections. Today, eight more ministers were sworn in.

The oath ceremony in Agartala was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Chief Minister and architect of the BJP’s Northeast successes, accompanied them.

Pema Khanda, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, and PS Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, were also present. Mr Saha took over for the BJP’s Biplab Deb, who was replaced mid-term.

Four of the new ministers were appointed by the previous administration. Ratan Lal Nath, Pranajit Singha Roy, Shantana Chakma, and Sushanta Chowdhury are among them. Tinku Roy, a close confidante of Biplab Deb, Bikash Debbarma, chief of the BJP’s Scheduled Tribes Morcha, and Sudhanshu Das were inducted as new ministers by the BJP.

The BJP’s ally in these elections, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), received one ministerial berth. Sukla Charan Noatia of IPFT was sworn in as minister.

Also read: BJP Minister Appreciates Rahul Gandhi’s London Photo, Says: ‘Manna Padega…’

According to sources, the ruling party has set aside three ministerial berths as it reaches out to Tipra Motha, which won 13 seats in this election. Talks between the BJP and Tipra Motha, led by former royal Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, earlier fell through over the tribal party’s demand for a ‘Greater Tipraland’.

According to sources, Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik will retain her parliamentary seat while vacating the Dhanpur Assembly seat she won in this election.

To protest post-election violence in the state, the opposition CPM and Congress have decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony.