Dr. Manik Saha took oath as Chief Minister of Tripura for a second term on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Vivekanand Maidan in Agartala.
Saha, a dental surgeon, joined the BJP in 2016 after quitting Congress. He was made BJP party chief in 2020 and elected to Rajya Sabha in March 2022. Amit Shah and Nadda already arrived in Agartala on Tuesday. They were received at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport by Manik Saha.
Chief Minister-designate Manik Saha on Monday called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to stake claim to form the government in the Northeast state. Earlier on Monday, there was a general meeting of all the newly elected BJP MLAs who unanimously proposed the name of Manik Saha for the leader of the legislature party.
"My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, we shall work together to build 'Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura' and ensure the welfare of all sections of people," tweeted Saha after the meeting. Manik Saha on Friday submitted his resignation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya at Raj Bhavan in Agartala. The Governor asked him to continue until the new government is sworn in.
"Last time, the oath-taking ceremony took place at Assam Rifles Ground and this time it will take place at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain present in the ceremony," Saha told reporters.
BJP wins in Tripura assembly elections
Earlier, BJP returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority. According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat. The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 percent.
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