Leader of Opposition Jitendra Choudhury slammed the BJP-led Tripura government after MLA Philip Kumar Reang faced an alleged assault at the MLA Hostel. Accusing the regime of lawlessness, misrule, and shielding corrupt elements, Choudhury warned that the Chief Minister’s own party workers may eventually force him to step down.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Choudhury has strongly criticized the BJP-led Tripura government following the alleged verbal assault on MLA Philip Kumar Reang at the MLA Hostel last Monday. Addressing a press conference, Choudhury described the incident as a “burning example” of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Speaking to the media, the senior CPI(M) leader alleged that Tripura has increasingly fallen prey to criminal elements, claiming that “mafia groups” are openly flourishing under the current dispensation. He further accused the police of functioning as “puppets” of the ruling party rather than as an independent force mandated to protect the people.
“The state is filled with mafia elements. Police are unable to function independently, and a section of them have already turned into puppets of the ruling government,” Choudhury said, asserting that the incident at the MLA Hostel reflects an alarming collapse of administrative control.
Allegations Against the Ruling Party’s Leadership
Jiten Choudhury did not hold back while accusing the ruling BJP of fostering what he termed a “fascist regime” through 7.5 years of “misrule and misgovernance.” According to him, the ruling party has not only lost control over governance but is also struggling to rein in its own cadre.
“The government has failed on multiple fronts. The cadres themselves have turned uncontrollable, and lawlessness has spread to such an extent that even elected representatives are unsafe,” Choudhury remarked.
He pointed specifically to the complaint lodged by MLA Philip Kumar Reang at the NCC Police Station, which named Pratik Dev Varman—son of Hyderabad Governor and former Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varman—as the accused in the MLA Hostel incident.
Accusations Against Pratik Dev Varman
Choudhury leveled serious allegations against Pratik Dev Varman, stating that he has been running a “kingdom of corruption and extortion” in the NCC Police Station area. He lamented that despite widespread awareness of these alleged activities, no firm action has been taken against him.
“Everyone knows what is happening, yet the administration chooses silence. This is proof that the ruling party is shielding its own,” the LoP alleged.
The charges against Pratik Dev Varman are likely to escalate political tensions in the state, as his father, Jishnu Dev Varman, served as a prominent BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura before being appointed as the Governor of Telangana (Hyderabad).
Call for Chief Minister’s Accountability
While Choudhury refrained from directly demanding Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s resignation, he sent out a veiled warning.
“We, as the opposition, have not yet raised the slogan of ‘Chief Minister step down,’” he said. “But I fear the Chief Minister is not recognizing his own weaknesses. We don’t want him to resign—we want him to uphold the Constitution and serve the people. However, I suspect that the actions of his own party workers may eventually force him to step down.”
His remarks suggest that the opposition is keeping the pressure mounting while leaving room for escalation if corrective measures are not taken by the government.
A Larger Pattern of Governance Crisis?
This latest controversy has fueled wider debates about governance and law and order in Tripura. Opposition leaders have often alleged that criminal networks are flourishing under the BJP-led regime, weakening democratic institutions and instilling fear among common citizens.
Political observers believe that the incident could become a flashpoint in the coming months, especially with the opposition seeking to project the ruling government as increasingly authoritarian and disconnected from grassroots realities.
The issue has also raised questions about accountability and transparency in governance. If the allegations against Pratik Dev Varman gain traction, they could tarnish the BJP’s image ahead of upcoming political battles in the state.
The MLA Hostel incident has clearly stirred Tripura’s political landscape, with Jiten Choudhury turning the spotlight on the state’s governance and law-and-order situation. While the government has yet to respond formally to these allegations, the matter is expected to intensify political rivalries between the ruling BJP and the opposition in the days ahead.
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Whether Chief Minister Manik Saha can reassert control and address the mounting criticism remains to be seen. For now, the opposition has ensured that the MLA Hostel episode is not viewed as an isolated event, but as part of a larger pattern of governance challenges plaguing the state.
