Nalchar MLA Kishor Barman was on Thursday sworn in as a minister in the Tripura government at a ceremony that was skipped by the ruling BJP’s allies–the TIPRA Motha and the Indigenous People’s Front–as well as the Opposition CPM and Congress.
“I have tried to fulfil whatever responsibility the party has given me. I was in charge of the party organisation, for winning elections in Bengal (for BJP). I have worked as an MLA since 2023. This organisational experience will help the government,” Kishor Barman told reporters after Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu administered the oath of office to him at Raj Bhavan in Agartala in the afternoon.
Kishor Barman thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other central BJP leaders, and Chief Minister Manik Saha for reposing faith in him.
Asked if the new responsibilities would be a challenge, Kishor Barman said, “I feel this is the beginning of a new chapter. I don’t see any challenges ahead. We have got Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha ahead of us. We will work under their leadership.”
After his inclusion, Tripura has one berth vacant in its 12-member Cabinet. Nine of the eleven ministers are from the BJP, while the IPFT and the Tipra Motha have one minister each. Motha also has a minister of state.
None of the MLAs from the BJP’s alliance partners were present at the swearing-in ceremony, nor were any CPM or Congress legislators. Former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who is the BJP’s West Tripura MP, was also absent at the ceremony.
Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury of the CPM told reporters that he had been invited but had to skip the event owing to prior engagements. Congress leaders weren’t available for comment but sources said they had been invited as well.
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For his part, TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma said his party’s MLAs were busy with Kharchi Puja.
“I was informed by the DM about the swearing-in ceremony at 9.30 pm yesterday. I called the CM and informed him that I would be travelling and would be late by the time I could reach the venue. I communicated my inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony to him. Tipra Motha MLAs came to know about the event after me. Besides, many of us were already busy with Kharchi Puja,” he said.
The relationship between the BJP and TIPRA Motha was strained after Gomati District Magistrate Tarit Kanti Chakma refused to meet Pradyot Kishore and Tripura ADC chief Purna Chandra Jamatia after office hours, and the tribal party held protests demanding action against the district magistrate. But the two parties appeared to have mended their relationship after Chakma was transferred along with several other officials in a major reshuffle of the state administration.
BJP MP Kriti Devi Singh Debbarma, who is the younger sister of Pradyot Kishore, was present at the ceremony.
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Also among those present was Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, who is expected to be replaced as the BJP state president in a few days. Sources say a minister is likely to become the new party chief, given that the Cabinet has got a new member.
Asked about the possibilities of filling up the vacant Cabinet berth or any minister being given organisational responsibilities, Chief Minister Saha said, “Time will tell.”
Kishor Barman won the 2023 Assembly polls from the SC-reserved Nalchar Assembly constituency in Sepahijala district.
A postgraduate in Bengali from Tripura University, he had served in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. The 44-year-old politician had been engaged in the BJP’s organisational work in North Bengal and campaigned for the party in Sikkim, Andaman, and Tripura.
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He had also been part of the ABVP’s relief work in Assam’s Kokrajhar and during the Amphan and Aila cyclones and other natural calamities.
