GUWAHATI: Manik Saha will continue as the chief minister of Tripura, as first reported by this newspaper on March 5. The BJP was divided into two camps with each backing Saha and Union minister Pratima Bhaumik for the top post but the suspense was over when Bhaumik herself proposed the Saha’s name as the legislature party leader. Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who was the BJP’s central observer in the meeting, later announced Saha’s election as the legislature party leader.
Saha, then, met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya at Raj Bhavan to stake his claim to form the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda will attend the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, BJP sources said.
In Nagaland and Meghalaya, Neiphiu Rio and Conrad K Sangma will be sworn as chief ministers on Tuesday. Meghalaya witnessed a dramatic turn in the numbers game after the results were declared. The strength of the National People’s Party-BJP combine in the 60-member House rose to 45 after the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s Democratic Front lent their support.
Since there can be a maximum of 12 ministers, the NPP, which won 26 seats, will keep eight. The UDP (11 MLAs) will get two while BJP (2 MLAs) and HSPDP (2 MLAs) will get one each, Sangma said.