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

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
Indian soldier Murali martyred in Pakistani firing in Mumbai

Mumbai: After the terrorist attack in Kashmir Pahalgam, the Indian Army retaliated and launched a massive attack on Pakistan under “Operation Sindoor”. While the enemy was defeated in this operation, 27-year-old Murali Naik, a resident of Kamaraj Nagar, Mumbai, was martyred in firing on the border.
As soon as the news of the martyrdom of Martyr Murali Naik reached the area, a wave of mourning spread throughout Kamaraj Nagar. Every eye was moist and every heart was filled with pride. Former corporator of the area, Parmeshwar Kadam, said that Murali was honest and sociable since childhood and was also a capable soldier. He dreamed of serving the country at a young age. Even after facing setbacks, Murali joined the army. Some relatives even forbade him from joining the army, but Murali’s passion was unwavering. With hard work and dedication, he fulfilled his dream by joining the army.
Murali Naik joined the Indian Army in 2022. After training in Nashik, he was posted in Assam, then Punjab. Just a month ago, he was sent to the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where he was martyred in firing by Pakistan on Friday morning. The mortal remains of martyr Murli Naik will be taken to his native village in Andhra Pradesh tomorrow, where his last rites will be performed with full state honours. Murali, who belongs to the Dhangar community, was sociable and lively since childhood. Today, not only Mumbai but the entire country is proud of Murali Naik. He made his great sacrifice while protecting Mother India.
Maharashtra
Removing the Pakistani flag at Vile Parle station was costly, a case was registered against five people including a woman, police took action after the video went viral on social media

Mumbai: The Juhu police has registered an FIR against six unidentified individuals, including a burqa-clad woman, for allegedly gathering unlawfully, verbally abusing, and physically assaulting people who opposed the removal of Pakistani flags near the west side of Vile Parle railway station.
According to the FIR, the incident took place on May 4, when the accused were seen removing Pakistani flags that had been pasted on the stair steps of the Vile Parle railway station as part of a protest against the April 22 massacre of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The police have registered the case under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in pursuit of a common object), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The complainant, Santosh Salukhe, 49, a policeman, stated that he saw a video on Facebook, showing a veiled woman and four to five unidentified youths removing the Pakistani flags from the stair steps at Vile Parle railway station (West).
Salukhe immediately rushed to the location and learned that around 4 p.m. the same day, some unidentified individuals had pasted the Pakistani flags in front of the ticket counter at the station and on the steps as a symbolic protest against the recent terrorist attacks on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The flags carried the message “Step on it.” Those who pasted the flags left soon after.
Later, the veiled woman and her group arrived at the Vile Parle railway station and began removing the flags, which created a disturbance for commuters. When some people tried to stop them, the woman and her associates allegedly physically assaulted and verbally abused them, resulting in a brief period of tension at the station. Gurpreet Anand of Ankush Foundation had distributed free stickers of the Pakistani flag with the message “Step on it” printed at the bottom.
On Wednesday, he went to Juhu police station along with Parag Alavani MLA and others with a view to register an FIR. “However, the police did not register our FIR,” he told Media. But on Friday, a constable filed an FIR. Subsequently, the police registered a case. Juhu police officials said no arrests have been made yet, and no notices have been issued as they are in the process of identifying the accused.
National News
Jai Hind Yatra: India is strong and we will face the enemy, says K’taka Cong

Bengaluru, May 9: A ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ was held by the Karnataka unit of the Congress party on Friday in Bengaluru in support of the Indian security forces which are carrying out ‘Operation Sindoor’ in retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre in which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Congress leaders said that “irrespective of Pakistan’s misadventures, India is strong and we will face the enemy.”
The ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ by the Congress took place from K.R. Circle to Minsk Square in Bengaluru, under the leadership of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Ministers H.K. Patil, G. Parameshwara, K.H. Muniyappa, H.C. Mahadevappa, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Priyank Kharge, Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Bose Raju, and Chief Whip of the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, along with MLA Rizwan Arshad and others participated in the march.
Government and private sector officials, employees, representatives of various organisations, and thousands of students also took part in the rally.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ‘Jai Hind Yatra’, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, stated that the Tiranga yatra programme was organised by the state government to condemn the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and also to support Indian armed forces which are carrying out ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“We want to send a big message to the whole nation through this Tiranga yatra. At this juncture, whole world is looking at India. We are highlighting that everyone should stand united at this stage and also we are giving moral courage to Indian soldiers,” Dy CM Shivakumar stated.
“Jai Hind Tiranga Yatra has been organised in Karnataka. We have invited all sections of society including students, the government employees, organisations, institutions irrespective of their background. We want to salute our armed forces. The integrity of the country is important. We have decided to do this by taking out this march today,” he stated.
“I am very happy that all sections of the society including retired armed forces soldiers, students and other political parties are participating. Let’s toe together for the country’s pride. Irrespective of Pakistan’s misadventures, India is strong and we will face the enemy,” he stated.
“We should extend support to Indian soldiers who are fighting for our country,” he underlined.
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