As expected ruling BJP MLA Biswa Bandhu Sen was elected the Speaker of the Tripura assembly on Friday defeating opposition CPI-M-Congress joint candidate Gopal Chandra Roy.
Sen, a four-time MLA from Dharmanagar in North Tripura district since 2008, was the Deputy Speaker in the previous assembly.
Sen secured 32 votes, while Roy, one of the three Congress MLAs, bagged 14 votes.
Interestingly the TIPRA Motha which was one of the proposers for opposition Gopal Roy made a volte face and skipped the voting. The TIPRA Motha MLAs raised a petty issue over sitting arrangements and staged a walk out only to avoid the voting. Its decision came following Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s phone call to its chairman Pradyot Kishore Debbarman assuring him of an interlocutor by Mar 27. Added to that was also Deb Barman’s meeting Himanta Biswa Sharma, Assam Chief Minister and ace trouble shooter of the North East parties.
Although the 13 TIPRA Motha MLAs’ vote would have not changed the result as arithmetic was clearly in favour of Biswabandhu Sen, but the way the tribal party betrayed the Left Front and Congress opposition surprised all and invited sharp criticism.
After his election to the coveted chair Sen wa congratulated by all the MLAs cutting across party lines.
Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya the addressed the assembly and dwelt extensively on the government’s performances and achievements.
Later Finance Minister Pranajit singh Roy tabled the vote of accounts for consideration of the House.
TIPRA Motha MLA Animesh Debbarma has been the Opposition Leader.
