Biplab Deb to take oath as Tripura CM on March 9, pledges to make state progressive

Biplab Deb will take oath as chief minister of Tripura on March 9 after his unanimous election as leader of the BJP legislature party in the state on Tuesday. Union minister of road, transport and highways Nitin Gadkari announced Deb’s name as chief minister while its alliance partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) had been advocating that an ‘indigenous’ person should be the CM. Veteran BJP tribal leader Jishnu Debbarma will be Deb’s deputy. Gadkari made the announcement after he and Union minister for tribal affairs — Jual Oram held meetings with the BJP and IPFT winning candidates at the state guest house and then at the Raj Bhawan. “I talked to all the MLAs in the meeting and Biplab Deb’s name was selected unanimously. I hope Tripura will get rid of poverty and will proceed to a bright future under Deb’s leadership,” Gadkari said after the meeting. Deb said his government will work hard to change Tripura’s profile. “I will perform my duties and responsibilities I have been entrusted. Jishnu ji will assist me. We all will work hard to make Tripura a progressive state,” Deb said. The BJP-led alliance bagged 43 seats with the BJP winning 35 and the IPFT bagging eight to unseat the 25-year-old Left Front government. The rest of Deb’s cabinet will be decided on Wednesday after a meeting with the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma. IPFT chief Narendra Chandra Debbarma said they would clarify their position on the cabinet formation in the discussion with Sarma. “We will talk to NEDA convener to know our future responsibilities in the cabinet,” he said. He also seemed to play down the deputy CM’s post saying, “Deputy chief minister is only an ornamental post.” Debbarma also said the IPFT will pursue their separate statehood movement with the Centre. “We have been into the movement for a separate state for long. It’s our party’s issue. After government formation, we will pursue our demand with the Centre as this issue will only be looked after by the central government,” he said. Source: Hindustan Times