Biplab Deb takes oath as Tripura CM, Modi assures all help to the state

Biplab Kumar Deb on Friday took oath as the chief minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party government in Tripura, ending the 25-year rule of the Left Front, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured full support for all-round development of the state.

IMAGE: Biplab Kumar Deb, BJP's state president, takes oath as the 10th chief minister of Tripura. Photograph: PTI Photo 

Jishnu Deb Burman of the BJP was sworn in as the deputy chief minister along with seven other ministers.

Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at a function at the sprawling Assam Rifles ground, which was attended by Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Forty-eight-year-old Biplab Kumar Deb had staked claim before the governor on March 6 to form the government.

A long-time Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer, he has been largely credited for the BJP's turnaround in the state.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, new Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected ministers in Agartala. Photograph: PTI Photo 

The deputy chief minister is yet to be elected as an MLA as polling in his Charilam-Scheduled Tribe constituency was postponed due to the death of the Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate. The election to the seat is scheduled to be held on March 12.

The seven other ministers, five from the BJP and two from the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, a BJP ally, included its chief N C Debburman.

Ratan Lal Nath, Sudip Roy Burman, Pranajit Singha Roy, Manoj Kanti Deb and the lone woman in the government Santana Chakma are from the saffron party.

Apart from N C Debburman, IPFT general secretary Mevar Kumar Jamatiya was the other minister from his party.

In his address after the swearing-in ceremony, the prime minister assured the new BJP government of providing full support for the all-round development of Tripura, saying the entire country was behind its march towards progress.

Modi said the northeastern region has many opportunities and potentials which have to be explored for its development.

IMAGE: Senior BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi with former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar attend the swearing-in ceremony. Photograph: PTI Photo  

"I appeal to the people of Tripura, lets take the state to a new height so that we can change the lives of the people. I want to assure Tripura that in its march towards development, the central government will provide full cooperation under the motto of cooperative federalism," he said.

The prime minister said that the state government will take along every citizen and all sections of the society and work for the development of the state.

Modi said the motto of the government would be development, good governance, people's participation and 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were present at the swearing-in ceremony, besides Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states -- Vijay Rupani (Gujarat), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Sarbananda Sonowal (Assam), Raghubar Das (Jharkhand).

Outgoing Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar was also attended the function.

IMAGE: Modi during his speech, assures all help to the state. Photograph: PTI Photo  

Giant posters bearing images of Modi and Shah dominated the landscape in Agartala.

From the airport to the venue, BJP flags lined up both sides of the street, as party workers wearing saffron celebrated in the streets. Security was tightened in the capital city as the prime minister and many other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

"A 100-ft-long stage was erected for the big function. This is a big day for us as it marks a political transition for the state. The victory has been made possible by the development work of Modiji that has inspired our workers in Tripura to work for a change," BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said.

The alliance had won the assembly elections with a two-thirds majority in the 60-member House.

The BJP had bagged 35 seats and the IPFT eight of the 59 seats that went to polls.