Manik Saha takes oath as Tripura CM for second straight term

The opposition Left and the Congress boycotted the oath-taking ceremony to protest against post-poll violence in the northeastern state

Manik Saha took oath as Tripura Chief Minister for the second time on Wednesday, at Agartala. Eight other MLAs, seven belonging to BJP and one of its regional ally, IPFT, were also administered the oath of office and secrecy as ministers.

Three ministers, Bikash Deb Barma, Santana Chakma (both BJP) and Sukla Charan Naotia (IPFT) belong to the indigenous communities. Santana is a woman MLA of BJP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, besides others attended the swearing-in ceremony at Swami Vivekananda Maidan at Agartala.

Also Read | 'Constitutional solution' for Tripuris has begun: Pradyot Deb Barma

Meanwhile, Ratanlal Nath, Susanta Chouhdury, Pranjit S Roy, Santana Chakma, Sukla Charan Naotia, Tinku Roy, Sudhangshu Das and Bikash Deb Barma took oath as ministers. Saha, the dental-surgeon-turned politician and six other ministers took oath in Bengali while Sushanta Choudhury did the same in Hindi. Naotia took oath in Kokborok, a local tribal dialect.

The 73-year-old Saha had joined BJP in 2015 and served as the party's state unit president and a Rajya Sabha member. He was made CM in May last year, replacing Biplab Kumar Deb, who was abruptly removed from the post.

Pratima Bhoumik, the Union Minister of state, whose name was also doing the rounds for the CM post this time, however, did not get a ministerial berth. Bhoumik, believed to be a confidant of Deb, contested the Assembly elections and won from Dhanpur Assembly constituency.

BJP and IPFT won absolute majority by winning 33 (BJP 32, IPFT 1), out of 60 seats and formed the government for the second consecutive term.

Berths for Tipra Motha?

BJP leaders said three ministerial positions were kept vacant as Tipra Motha, the regional party, which emerged as the second largest party with 13 seats, are expected to join the government.

After the swearing-in, Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda and others met Tipra Motha Chief Pradyot Deb Barma and 13 MLAs at the State Guest House and discussed their demand for "constitutional solution" for the state's 14 lakh indigenous people. After the two-hour-long meeting, Deb Barma told reporters that the Home Minister agreed to appoint an interlocutor soon for finding a "constitutional solution" within three months. He, however, said Tipra Motha would not join the government till a "constitutional solution" is accorded. "It is not about ministry to two-three of our MLAs, it is about a solution for the 14 lakh tribals."