Manik Saha, who was sworn in as new Chief Minister of Tripura on Sunday, said he shares a strong chemistry with his predecessor Biplab Kumar Deb and it will be his endeavour to implement all welfare decisions of his government.
“My cabinet will be carrying forward all decisions and schemes of the past government headed by Biplab Kumar Deb. I share a very strong chemistry with the former Chief Minister,” Dr. Saha said at his first press conference as Chief Minister.
He gave a hint that Mr. Deb, who had tendered his resignation in a sudden political development on Saturday, will be given an important responsibility in the party though he did not mention which.
Earlier in the day, Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya administered the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister at the Raj Bhavan. Former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and his ministerial colleagues attended, but Opposition parties including CPI(M) boycotted the ceremony citing the alleged dismal law and order situation in the State.
No other minister was inducted in the new cabinet on Sunday, but Dr. Saha said that cabinet expansion will be done in the next couple of days. He gave indication that there would be minor changes in his council of ministers.
Dr. Saha asserted that he accepted the new position in order to respect the decision of the BJP leadership and said everyone in the saffron party has to discharge any given responsibility with ‘pride and joy’. “It’s (BJP) not like any other political party and we all know how the party works’, ‘‘ he said.
He said he would make sure that rule of law prevails, and no law and order situation erupts anywhere in the state. He also sought cooperation from the Opposition parties.
Meanwhile BJP’s central team comprising Union minister Bhupender Yadav, Tripura Pravari Vinod Sonkar and the party’s national General secretaries Ajay Jamwal and Vinod Tawade, attended a meeting with party MLAs at the State Guest House here. Former and incumbent Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Dr Manik Saha, former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarman, Union minister of State Pratima Bhowmik and senior party functionaries were present within the closed doors of the meeting.
BJP currently has 33 members in the 60-member State Assembly.
