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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s legislative party unanimously re-elected Dr Manik Saha as the Chief Minister in a meeting. Dr Saha soon after his selection went to Governor House and met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to stake claim to form the government. Dr Saha was accompanied by state unit president Rajib Bhattacharjee, North East incharge Sambit Patra, Janajati Morcha president and MP Rebati Tripura et al.
While the BJP has 32 legislators and its ally IPFT won one seat, the regional party of royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman appeared as principal opposition with 13 members followed by CPI-M with 11 and Congress with 3 MLAs.
After being elected as the Leader of the Legislature Party, called on Governor to stake claim to form the government in the state. My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we shall work together to build ‘Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura’ and ensure the welfare of all sections of people,” Saha wrote on Twitter.
Many central BJP leaders and Chief Ministers have congratulated Saha, who was the party’s Chief Ministerial face in the February 16 assembly elections.
Earlier on Monday evening, Assam’s Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who was the BJP’s central observer in the legislature party meeting, announced Saha’s name as the legislature party leader.
Saha’s name was proposed by Union Minister of State Pratima Bhowmik, who for the first time was elected to the state assembly from Dhanpur assembly constituency.
The swearing-in-ceremony of the Chief Minister and the new council of ministers would be held here at Vivekananda stadium here on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, several central leaders and Chief Ministers would attend the event.
In the February 16 Assembly polls, the BJP won 32 seats, one more than the magic figure of 31 in the 60-member Assembly, while its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura got one.
Saha was re-elected from the Town Bordowali seat for the second time after defeating his nearest Congress opponent Ashish Kumar Saha by a margin of 1,257 votes.
Manik Saha was first elected to the state Assembly in the by-poll held in June last year by defeating Ashish Kumar Saha by a margin of 6,104 votes.
The 70-year-old BJP leader, who was also the state unit chief of the BJP and Rajya Sabha member for a brief period, took oath as the chief minister last year on May 15, a day after former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb resigned from the top post.
