BJP leader Manik Saha took oath as the chief minister of Tripura on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda as well as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were present.
This is 70-year-old Saha's second term as chief minister of the northeastern state. Manik Saha had been made chief minister earlier in 2022, replacing Biplab Kumar Deb, in a brand renewal exercise. Deb was also present at the swearing-in ceremony.
Eight ministers were also sworn in by Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya. In all, eight ministers from the BJP and one from its ally IPFT were inducted into the cabinet. Of these, five were new faces. Four of the ministers—Ratan Lal Nath, Pranajit Singha Roy, Shantana Chakma and Sushanta Chowdhury—have been retained from the previous government.
However, the opposition Left Front and Congress boycotted the swearing-in-ceremony, protesting against the "unprecedented reign of terror unleashed by the BJP supporters."
The BJP won 32 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly elections in Tripura, while its ally IPFT managed to secure one seat.
