BJP gives green signal for expansion of Tripura Cabinet

The BJP central leadership has reportedly advised the Tripura leadership to reshuffle the Cabinet to give proper representation to all social communities and drop a couple of ‘inefficient’ Ministers. The reshuffle and expansion are expected to take place in the coming week after the return of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb from New Delhi.

Mr. Deb and State president Manik Saha left for New Delhi on July 14 soon after attending the swearing-in of new Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya. They met a number of central leaders looking after the organisation and the State.

After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days back, Mr. Deb met national president J.P. Nadda at his office on Sunday.

Prior to their meeting, Mr. Nadda met Pratima Bhoumik, newly inducted Minister from Tripura in the Union Cabinet.

Sources in the BJP here said the Chief Minister and Mr. Saha would return on Monday. Newly appointed organisation in-charge for Tripura Kishore Barman is also expected to arrive next week.

Amid buzz in the BJP circles over possible expansion, sources said two Ministers of the BJP-led coalition government will be dropped.

Tripura can have a maximum 12 Ministers but the Ministry was formed with nine members including the Chief Minister when the BJP-led alliance assumed office in March 2018. However, the size of the Cabinet came down to eight after Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman was axed soon after the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 on account of his alleged anti-party activities.

Mr. Barman has been leading a camp of dissident BJP MLAs and is rumoured to be all set to make his entry in the upcoming expansion as to draw an end to the resentments in the party. The name of MLA Sushanta Choudhury is also doing the rounds.

Bhagaban Das, MLA from north Tripura, is likely to be inducted as representative from the SC community. Former RSS activist and MLA Atul Debbarma is likely to be elevated.