Setback for BJP in Tripura as MLA quits party on Day 1 of assembly session

Tripura’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government faced yet another blow after legislator Burba Mohan Tripura tendered his resignation on Friday, the first day of the assembly session

Tripura’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government faced yet another blow after legislator Burba Mohan Tripura tendered his resignation on Friday, the first day of the assembly session.

For representational purposes only. (HT File Photo)

He is the fourth MLA from the BJP to exit in the past four-and-a-half years. He had won the 2018 assembly polls from Karbook constituency.

“I hereby tender my resignation to the membership of 43 (ST) Karbook Constituency Assembly and request you to kindly accept my resignation,” Mohan wrote in his letter submitted to speaker Ratan Chakraborty.

Royal scion and head of TIPRA Motha party Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma was seen accompanying him after the resignation. Though Mohan didn’t speak on the issue, Pradyot told the reporters, “I came to show solidarity with him. He had said that he wants to work for Tiprasa instead of associating with any national party.”

Earlier, Asish Das joined the Trinamool Congress, while Sudip Roy Barman and Asish Kumar Saha switched over to Congress from the BJP. Das later left the TMC too.

The BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) formed the government in 2018 for the first time with 44 seats, including 36 by the BJP and eight seats by the IPFT. However, a year ago, IPFT legislator Brishaketu Debbarma left the party to join Pradyot Kishore’s party. The assembly recently disqualified his membership for violating the anti-defection law.