Agartala: In a surprising move, BJP rejigged the state committee, bringing many fading stars to the forefront ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee will lead the committee that came into force from August 2023. After being appointed the BJP state president, Bhattacharjee did not get the committee of his choice. He took over the charge of the committee constituted by Dr Manik Saha, now at the helm of affairs in the BJP-led state government. Through the reshuffle, Bhattacharjee formed his own team to carry forward the organisational tasks.
However, a couple of appointments in the state committee raised eyebrows and sparked speculations in the political circles. Sources in Tripura BJP said that except for a few names, most members are known as trusted lieutenants of former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.
Former Minister Bhagaban Das, dropped from the cabinet for unknown reasons, has been appointed the General Secretary of the BJP. Das, a senior BJP leader, was a Minister in the Biplab Kumar Deb-led cabinet and is now an MLA from the Pabiacherra assembly constituency. The list also includes Subal Bhowmik as vice president.
Bhowmik is one of the leaders who worked for the BJP ahead of the 2018 assembly elections. But he snapped ties with the BJP to fight the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket. He later became the president of the Trinamool Congress, a position he was removed unceremoniously from. He joined the BJP again before the 2023 elections and now has an official position in the state committee. In a sense, he returned to the position that he quit in 2019.
Patal Kanya Jamatia, who joined the BJP dissolving his NGO-cum-political outfit, retained her post of Vice President. Bipin Debbarma as General Secretary is another surprising appointment. Debbarma had joined the BJP after the 2018 assembly elections. Earlier, he was working with the Trinal Youth Federation (TYF), the youth arm of the CPIM’s tribal wing Gana Mukti Parishad (GMP).
Meanwhile, former General Secretary Papia Dutta was elevated to Vice President. Leaders like Tapas Majumder, Mausmi Das, David Debbarma, Ashok Sinha et al got their space in the state committee.
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Changes were also made in the frontal wings of the party. Former MLA Mimi Majumder, who did not get the ticket in the last assembly elections, had been appointed the president of Mahila Morcha. Tripura Industries Development Corporation Chairman Nabadal Banik had been relieved from his organisational charge of Yuva Morcha President as MLA Sushanta Deb had been entrusted with the task.
The tribal wing of the party will now be under the guard of ex-MLA Parimal Debbarma who replaced tribal welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma. Ex-Congress leader Billal Miah who joined the BJP ahead of by-elections in Boxanagar assembly constituency had been given the charge of Minority Morcha.
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