Agartala: Senior Minister in the BJP-IPFT coalition government in Tripura and IPFT supremo Narendra Chandra Debbarma died on Sunday following a massive cerebral stroke at GBP Hospital, Agartala.
The veteran tribal leader was 80 and is survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters.
The state revenue and forest minister was not keeping well for the last one year as he was suffering from chronic diabetes, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) spokesperson Amit Debbarma said.
He suffered a massive cerebral stroke on December 30 and was admitted to a state-run hospital here, where he underwent surgery but breathed his last at 2.45 pm on Sunday, the spokesperson said.
Thousands of party workers who stood beside him for the demand of separate statehood, Tipraland, are saddened over his demise, the spokesperson told EastMojo.
Debbarma’s party played a crucial role in dislodging the 25 years long Left regime from the state.
Once considered to be a left citadel, IPFT emerged as the strongest political entity in the tribal-dominated areas before the 2018 assembly elections. After the formation of the BJP-IPFT coalition government, Debbarma and his close aide Mevar Kumar Jamatia were offered cabinet berths in the first BJP-IPFT alliance government.
On several occasions, IPFT entered in friendly electoral contests with the senior ally BJP in the local polls but failed to defeat the BJP. The Party’s poor performance and silence on the demand of TIPRALAND gave rise to Pradyot Kishore Debbarman leading TIPRA. Meanwhile, political personalities cutting across political lines condoled the death of Debbarma.
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On hearing the news, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha rushed to his residence and extended his condolences. “He was a senior minister of our state cabinet. I have visited him in the hospital as well. He had undergone surgical procedures after the brain stroke. His condition was not good. The doctors have tried their best to save his life”, said Dr Saha.
The Chief Minister also said Debbarma had created a void that could not be filled up by anyone. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik also rushed to the hospital and extended her condolences to the grief-stricken family.
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