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BJP’s replacement of Tripura CM with eye on 2023 polls

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After Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Karnataka, the BJP has changed its Chief Minister in Tripura, months ahead of the Assembly polls in the Northeastern state, with a view on electoral calculations and gains.

The election to the 60-member Tripura Assembly is due in January-February 2023.

Though the script was written in Delhi, the real drama was played in Agartala to overcome the anti-incumbency factor at least eight to nine months ahead of the crucial Assembly polls, which is expected to be multi-cornered between the CPI-M, the Congress, new entrant Trinamool Congress (TMC), besides the ruling BJP.

A year after the BJP-Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) government assumed charge on March 9, 2018, ending the 25-year rule of the Left Front, Tripura has witnessed waves of revolt by dissident BJP MLAs led by Sudip Roy Barman against Biplab Kumar Deb, who also subsequently announced to obtain a people’s mandate by calling a public meeting.

His move was later cancelled following the intervention of the Central BJP leadership.

Amid open resentment by a section of the ruling BJP MLAs and leaders in Tripura, the Cabinet expansion took place on August 31, 2021, by inducting three ministers even as the dissident MLAs and BJP leaders boycotted that swearing-in-ceremony.

The dissidence in May 2019 was sparked off after the State Health and Family Welfare and the Information Technology Minister Roy Barman was sacked following differences with Deb.

Sudip Roy Barman, six other MLAs and many leaders had quit the Congress in 2016 to join the TMC and next year (2017) they joined the BJP and helped it win the Assembly elections in 2018.

However, then, Sudip Roy Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha, who resigned from the state Assembly and the BJP on February 7, 2022, rejoined the Congress in New Delhi on February 8.

Earlier, BJP MLA Ashish Das, after openly criticising the saffron party and its leadership, including Deb, joined the TMC on October 31, 2021, following which he was disqualified from the state Assembly.

Following the tumult, several senior Central BJP leaders on a number of occasions visited Tripura to quell the internal dispute and plug the shortcomings, both in the government and the party organisation.

Political Commentator and Editor of Tripura’s leading English daily “North East Colors”, Sanjib Deb said that it is clear and loud that though removed from the post of Chief Minister, Biplab Kumar Deb is not going to be dumped, rather the steering is going to remain with him.

“After submitting the resignation, Deb told the media that he is going to remain with the party organisation. What is most important is that in the meeting of the BJP Legislature Party on Saturday, Biplab Kumar Deb had proposed the name of Manik Saha while the Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma seconded it,” he said.

He said when Biplab Kumar Deb became the Chief Minister, there were talks in Tripura that the government is the BJP’s, Council of Ministers are from Congress (as most Ministers are from the party) and administration is of the CPI-M (as the officials were recruited during the 25 years of Left Front government).

Political analyst and writer Sekhar Datta said the change of Chief Ministership in Tripura was long overdue.

“BJP has taken the decision to avoid the anti-incumbency issues eight to nine months before the crucial Assembly elections. The BJP retained power in Assam (2021) and Manipur (2022) in the Assembly polls. So retaining power in Tripura in the 2023 polls is a vital issue for the saffron party to keep its aim ‘Congress Mukt Northeast region’.”

Local print and electronic media mostly welcomed the BJP’s decision and criticised Deb’s style of functioning.

Editor of Tripura’s leading vernacular daily ‘Syandan Patrika’, Subal Kumar Dey said he had written in April 2020 about “Deb’s autocratic governance”.

“Only due to Deb’s dictatorial style of work and undemocratic mindset, three BJP MLAs were forced to leave the party weakening the organisation and the government,” Dey.

BJP sources said Biplab Kumar Deb will be Tripura BJP President as the incumbent Manik Saha had to quit the post on becoming the Chief Minister.

RSS loyalist Deb became the state BJP President in January 2016, a year after he returned to the state after spending many years outside it.

Maharashtra

MLA Satish Chavan of Sharad Pawar’s group left, will join Ajit Pawar’s group, will participate in the program in Shirdi

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Mumbai: There has been a significant change in the factionalism going on in the Nationalist Congress Party. In the Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar’s faction gave a big blow to Ajit Pawar’s faction. Sharad Pawar’s faction won 8 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s faction got only one seat. Also, the defeat of Sunetra Pawar also proved to be a big event. Before the assembly elections, there was a wave of people joining Sharad Pawar’s faction, but now after the elections, a big change is being seen in the situation.

After the assembly elections, some leaders of Ajit Pawar’s faction had hinted at joining Sharad Pawar’s faction, in which the names of some MPs were also being taken. However, both the Pawars had rejected this discussion. But now a prominent MLA of Sharad Pawar’s faction, Satish Chavan, has decided to leave Sharad Pawar. He is going to join Ajit Pawar’s faction, and his entry will take place at an event to be held in Shirdi.

Satish Chavan’s entry – a big blow to Sharad Pawar

Satish Chavan is currently an MLA and contested from Gangapur assembly seat. While he was in Sharad Pawar’s faction, he was suspended by Ajit Pawar for six years. He was defeated in the assembly elections, but now he has decided to return to Ajit Pawar’s faction. His decision is being considered a big blow to Sharad Pawar, because Chavan has given a new twist to his prophecy by joining Ajit Pawar’s faction.

Satish Chavan will join Ajit Pawar’s faction in a program to be held in Shirdi on Saturday. His party entry ceremony will be held in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in this program. Along with this, the decision of six years suspension against Chavan will also be withdrawn.

Chavan’s decision indicates increasing Ajit Pawar’s influence in Vidarbha

Satish Chavan’s entry into the party may further strengthen the influence of Ajit Pawar’s faction in Vidarbha. This development indicates internal conflict and factionalism in Sharad Pawar’s faction. Gangapur assembly seat was earlier with BJP, where Chavan contested from Sharad Pawar’s faction, but after the defeat, he is now joining Ajit Pawar’s faction.

It is hoped that this decision of Satish Chavan will further strengthen Ajit Pawar’s leadership and increase the organizational strength of Nationalist Congress in Vidarbha. This will prove to be a big setback for Sharad Pawar’s faction.

It is now being speculated that more leaders will enter Ajit Pawar’s faction and the unity of the party will increase, while internal conflict and factionalism may emerge once again in Sharad Pawar’s faction.

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Maharashtra

Angry Chhagan Bhujbal attends Nationalist convention in Shirdi

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Mumbai: Disgruntled leader Chhagan Bhujbal attended the Nationalist Congress Party convention in Shirdi. An important issue regarding his attendance was that Bhujbal was dissatisfied with the internal politics of the party. Bhujbal always expresses his opinion clearly and his attendance has given rise to many political discussions. Many leaders had made strong efforts for his attendance.

Bhujbal discussed with the party’s working president Praful Patel for two hours. In this discussion, the future of the party and various issues were discussed in detail. Bhujbal was upset with the party leadership for some time, but after this discussion he decided to attend the convention. During the discussion, there was also a phone conversation with Tatkare, which revealed important points of this discussion.

Bhujbal had contacted many political leaders to attend the Nationalist convention, but he did not succeed in contacting Ajit Pawar. There was some political turmoil due to Ajit Pawar’s absence, but Bhujbal ignored it and attended the convention.

All eyes are on what kind of guidance Bhujbal will give in the convention. His presence in this convention in Shirdi indicates that there may be a new turn in the internal politics of NCP. What will be his future role will be clear in the coming times.

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Crime

I gave the builder’s name to Mumbai Police – Jhishan Siddiqui, former MLA

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Mumbai: Jhishan Siddiqui, former MLA from Bandra, has claimed to have given important information to Mumbai Police regarding Baba Siddiqui murder case. Jhishan Siddiqui said in a press conference that he has given the name of the concerned builder to the police and has handed over all the evidence to the police for investigation in this case. He says that now the security situation in Bandra has worsened and fear and anxiety has increased in the area due to this incident.

Jhishan further said that after the chargesheet is filed, more information related to this case will come to light and many important things will be revealed from the evidence obtained by the police. Jhishan Siddiqui had asked some important questions to the police after meeting the Chief Minister and he believes that these questions will be answered soon.

Jhishan Siddiqui says that he is going to ask for time to meet Devendra Fadnavis, so that this matter can be discussed soon. He expects from Mumbai Police that the investigation will be done in a proper manner and the right decision will be taken soon.

At present, an in-depth investigation is underway on the Baba Siddiqui murder case and what will be the direction of this case will be clear in the coming times.

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