Following ‘Biplab Hatao, BJP Bachao’ Slogans within Party, Deb to Continue as Tripura CM

Following protests against CM Biplab Deb by his own party leaders in Tripura, BJP’s State in-charge Vinod Sonkar on Tuesday announced that Deb will continue to serve the people of the State and party leaders should resolve issues internally.

Sonkar’s reaction came after Tripura, in the last few days, witnessed political unrest following ‘Biplab Hatao, BJP Bachao (Remove Biplab Deb, save BJP)” slogans raised by the BJP supporters.

On Tuesday, saddened by the slogans raised against him by his party leaders and party workers, Deb has decided to seek the people’s ‘mandate’ on continuing in his post on December 13.

“I am saddened by the slogans raised against me. Maybe my fault is, I am committed to serving the people and dreaming for the development of Tripura. Therefore, amid such issues, I have decided to seek people’s mandate on December 13 at 2 PM at Vivekananda maidan on whether I should continue or not,” Biplab Deb had said in a press conference.

Expressing concern over the crisis – especially ahead of the crucial polls in West Bengal – BJP central leadership has sent two-time Lok Sabha MP from UP’s Kaushambi Vinod Sonkar to speak to the party leaders to resolve the issue.

On December 6, when Sonkar was interacting with the state leaders at Tripura Guest House – a large number of party leaders and supporters of Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) gathered there and raised “Biplab Hatao, BJP Bachao (Remove Biplab Deb, save BJP)” slogans.

Sonkar assured the agitating party leaders that they will listen individually and asked party leaders to resolve the matter internally. Later, he spoke to BJP national president JP Nadda and CM Biplab Deb and announced that Deb will continue to serve the people.

For the last few months, Deb has been facing the heat of rift in the party due to his differences with strong BJP leader and MLA Sudip Dev Barman. Barman is the son of former CM and Congress leader Samir Ranjan Barman.

Barman is an influential leader in Tripura and last year all the departments held by him which included public Works department, Health and Family Welfare, Science, Technology & Environment, Industry & Commerce (IT) was allocated to CM Biplab kumar Deb and deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma.

Earlier, he was with the Congress but later he joined Trinamool Congress. Due to some differences with the TMC leadership, he joined BJP in 2017. It was due to his consistent effort he convinced seven former Trinamool MLAs to join the BJP in June 2017. Not least he was also the key man behind BJP’s alliance with the IPFT.

Over the past months, his relationship with Biplab Deb turned sour due to differences in opinion and the alleged lack of mutual trust. It is believed that at least 10 MLAs are backing Barman’s stand against Biplab Deb.