Jitendra Choudhury Becomes First Tribal Leader from Tripura in CPI-M Politburo
Jitendra Choudhury, CPI-M Tripura State Secretary and Leader of the Opposition, joins the CPI-M Politburo, replacing former CM Manik Sarkar, who retired due to the party’s age limit policy.
Jitendra Choudhury, Leader of the Opposition in Tripura and current CPI-M State Secretary, has been inducted into the Politburo — the highest decision-making body of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Choudhury replaces senior leader and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who stepped down in keeping with the party’s recently introduced age limit for top leadership roles.
The development was formally announced on Sunday following the conclusion of the CPI-M’s 24th Party Congress, held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The Congress finalized an 85-member Central Committee and an 18-member Politburo, which now includes Choudhury as well as two women leaders — U. Vasuki and Mariam Dhawale. With his inclusion, Choudhury becomes the third leader from Tripura to serve in the Politburo, after former Chief Ministers Nripen Chakraborty and Manik Sarkar. Notably, he is the first tribal leader from the state to enter this elite group.
Manik Sarkar, aged 76, vacated his position as Politburo member in accordance with a rule adopted during the party’s 2022 Congress, which set 75 as the upper age limit for holding key leadership positions in the Politburo and Central Committee.
Manik Sarkar, aged 76, vacated his position as Politburo member in accordance with a rule adopted during the party’s 2022 Congress, which set 75 as the upper age limit for holding key leadership positions in the Politburo and Central Committee. Sarkar served as Tripura’s Chief Minister from 1998 to 2018 and was a Politburo member for nearly two decades. He continues to remain a highly respected figure in the CPI-M.
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Jitendra Choudhury, 67, took over as the Tripura State Secretary in September 2021 after the passing of his predecessor, Goutam Das. A grassroots leader with a long history in tribal activism, Choudhury joined the CPI-M in 1981 after leading several local movements in the tribal belt. He rose steadily through the party ranks and served as a minister in the Left Front government for four consecutive terms from 1993 to 2014. During this period, he held important portfolios including Forest, Tribal Welfare, and Information & Cultural Affairs.
He was also elected to the Lok Sabha from Tripura East in 2014 and served as the Chief Whip of the CPI-M parliamentary group in the lower house. Currently, Choudhury serves as the national Convener of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch — a CPI-M-backed platform for tribal rights — and is the President of the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, the party’s tribal wing.
The newly formed Central Committee also includes other prominent Tripura leaders such as Manik Dey, Naresh Jamatia, Ratan Bhowmik, and Krishna Rakshit. Meanwhile, four existing members from the state were dropped on account of health and age-related factors.
The newly formed Central Committee also includes other prominent Tripura leaders such as Manik Dey, Naresh Jamatia, Ratan Bhowmik, and Krishna Rakshit. Meanwhile, four existing members from the state were dropped on account of health and age-related factors.
Choudhury’s elevation to the Politburo is seen as a significant moment for the CPI-M in Tripura, which has historically been a stronghold of the Left. It also marks a generational and symbolic shift within the party, with increased emphasis on representation from marginalized communities.
