Former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb made an expected win in the by-election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Tripura held on Thursday. He secured 43 votes as against 15 by Bhanu Lal Saha of the CPI(M).
There was no cross-voting in the election with all the MLAs of the ruling BJP and its alliance partner IPFT voting in favour of the BJP nominee. Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman did not turn up after his party announced a decision to abstain.
Assembly officials informed that 58 members exercised their franchise. Sudip Roy Barman, a member abstained.
After the resignation of IPFT MLA Brishaketu Debbarma early this week, the strength of the 60-member Assembly was reduced to 59.
Newly-appointed BJP prabhari for Tripura Mahesh Sharma and northeast coordinator Sambit Patra arrived to oversee the party’s preparation for the Rajya Sabha by-election. They also held meetings with senior ranks to discuss matters related to the organisation.
Former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who was last week appointed as the party’s prabhari for Haryana, expressed gratitude to the BJP and IPFT MLAs of Tripura for electing him as a Rajya Sabha MP. He said he would work for the development of the State and would work to ensure a ‘big win’ for the saffron party in the Assembly elections due in February next year.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha congratulated Mr. Deb and hoped that the Rajya Sabha MP would continue to work for the progress of the State under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
