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Saha gets a second term as Tripura CM; To take oath on Wednesday
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put an end to all speculations about who will lead the government in Tripura.
The BJP, which has won 32 seats in the 60-member assembly in the recently concluded elections, reposed faith in incumbent Manik Saha.
On Monday, March 6, Saha was unanimously elected as the legislative party leader by BJP MLAs, including Union minister Pratima Bhoumik.
There had been a lot of speculation about Bhoumik being one of the strong contenders for the post of CM. However, putting a full stop to all the speculations, it was Bhoumik who proposed Saha’s name at the meeting in Agartala.
After his election, Saha met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya at the Raj Bhawan to stake a claim for forming the government. It is learnt that Saha will take oath in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8.
“My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, we shall work together to build ‘Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura’ & ensure the welfare of all sections of people.” Saha tweeted after his election.
“After being elected as the Leader of the Legislature Party, called on Satyadeo Narain Arya, Governor of Tripura, today at Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government in the state,” Saha further tweeted.
The BJP, which had ended the long reign of the CPI(M) in the state in 2018, returned to power with a simple majority. While the party had announced that it would contest the election under Saha, the presence of Bhoumik, who commands great respect in the state and is fondly called Didi, set the rumour mills abuzz.
Saha, 70, is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon by qualification. He won his first-ever election in 2022 from the Town Bardowali Assembly constituency in bye-elections. He defeated Asish Kumar Saha of Congress by a margin of 6,104 votes. His election as CM last year surprised many.
Before joining the BJP in 2016, Saha was a member of the Indian National Congress. In the BJP, he was also the president of the state unit of the party from 2020 to 2022, when he was elected as an MLA.
Incidentally, on Sunday, March 5, Assam Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Union Home minister Amit Shah to discuss cabinet formation in Tripura.
The oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held at Vivekananda Ground in Agartala. BJP national president JP Nadda and chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states are expected to be present at the swearing-in ceremony.
