Politics
Manik Saha’s unexpected selection as CM earlier solidifies his status with the BJP victory
The BJP central leadership decided to do a 180-degree turn when it was planning to replace Biplab Deb as chief minister of Tripura in mid-2022. It was allegedly concerned that his brash acts and bad law and order would damage the party. They chose dental physician Manik Saha from relative obscurity and assigned him the duty of leading the party into the Assembly polls, much to the dismay of many old-timers who all saw a chance for themselves.
He has emerged as the undisputed candidate for the position of chief minister after winning the famous Town Bardowali seat, a wealthy neighbourhood on the outskirts of the state capital Agartala, by 1,257 votes, while his party sailed to a simple majority in the Assembly. For the 69-year-old “gentleman politician,” a practising doctor who still contributes his knowledge to challenging dental procedures, it is a turnabout of dreams.
The quiet Biplab Deb supporter had only recently joined the BJP in 2016, which gave many BJP leaders in Tripura indigestion up until this year’s Assembly elections.
But his ascent through the ranks has been astounding. By virtue of the BJP government, he rose from being the leader of the “prishta pramukhs,” pivotal members of the BJP’s electoral apparatus, in 2018 to become the president of the financially lucrative Tripura Cricket Association in 2019. Saha was propelled into the position after the BJP central leadership attempted to restrain CM Deb by replacing him as the Tripura BJP president in January 2020 using the “one man, one post” concept. Saha later became the first BJP leader from the state to be elected to the Rajya Sabha in March 2022.
But it was clear that the engagement would be brief. At that point, Dr. Saha had earned the title of “Man Friday” among the BJP’s national leadership, which was searching for a rapid fix in the state. So, when the party sought to replace Deb as CM in May 2022—just 10 months before the recently concluded Assembly polls—the decision seemed clear.
According to observers, Dr. Saha has shown symptoms of shedding the shyness that was once associated with him in the brief time that he has been in office. He has also grown in stature in relation to former CM Deb, who was long regarded as his patron. Although the BJP did not specifically nominate Saha for the position of chief executive, the campaign for a second term of “Modi-Manik Saha sarkar” was mostly centred on him. According to observers, Dr. Saha has shown symptoms of shedding the shyness that was once associated with him in the brief time that he has been in office. He has also grown in stature in relation to former CM Deb, who was long regarded as his patron. Although the BJP did not specifically nominate Saha for the position of chief executive, the campaign for a second term of “Modi-Manik Saha sarkar” was mostly centred on him.
He may have finally silenced his critics by defeating three-time MLA Ashish Saha twice in the span of ten months and solidifying his position as the undisputed BJP leader in the northeastern state.
Source: The Indian Express
In the midst of disarray caused by the BJP's attack on Rahul Gandhi's speech in London and the
opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the Adani-Hindenberg
dispute, Parliament adjourned early today without accomplishing anything.
For the first time since the controversy over his statements about the state of Indian democracy in
London, Rahul Gandhi was spotted in the Lok Sabha. Yet, both houses convened for a brief period of
time before calling a day's adjournment.
The Congress leader had recently told NDTV, "I will speak inside the House if they let me to. When
asked to apologise by the BJP, he responded, "I didn't give any anti-India statement."
Trinamool Party protesters surrounded the Speaker's chair in Lok Sabha while covering their lips
with a black ribbon. Afterwards, opposition supporters assembled in a human chain outside of
parliament to demand an investigation into the Adani-Hindenburg dispute.
The deadlock between the administration and the opposition has put a stop to all work on the
Budget session's second half.
This morning, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju increased the pressure on the Congress by charging Rahul
Gandhi with lying about the UK and disparaging the country.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Rijiju said, "The person who speaks the most in this nation and constantly
criticises the government claims overseas that he does not have the freedom to speak in India.
"We don't care if Rahul Gandhi brings down the Congress. Yet, we as citizens cannot remain silent if
he attempts to harm or insult the country. The country may have rejected the leadership of the
Congress, but that does not give him the right to mistreat the country overseas "Added he.
"Members of the anti-India group all speak in the same vein. Whatever Rahul Gandhi says, they
repeat it "Mr. Rijiju ranting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi frequently criticised the Congress while travelling abroad, thus the
Congress has ruled out an apology.
Mr. Kharge added, "I want to ask those who are asking an apology that Modiji went to five to six
nations and there he (Modi) humiliated our country claiming it was a shame to be born in India, now
these same people are curtailing freedom of expression.
Rahul Gandhi has received criticism from a number of Union Ministers for his remarks in London.
Source: NDTV
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his top ministers on Monday in New Delhi to discuss the government’s plan of action before the second part of the Budget session.
In order to plan the approach, Congress MPs met earlier on Monday at the Parliamentary Party (CPP) office of the party, presided over by party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are all present for the meeting.
Congress lawmakers from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha attended the meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party to determine the budget session strategy.
The 2023 budget session will continue following a one-month break. The break was intended to give the department-specific Parliamentary Standing Committees time to review grant requests and submit reports pertaining to their respective ministries or departments.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
Kiran Kumar Reddy, a former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, has left the Congress.
Manickam Tagore, a congressman and member of parliament, responded to Reddy’s resignation on Sunday by claiming that individuals who had received everything from the party and had completed the Andhra Pradesh Congress were now defecting to the BJP.
Reddy served as Andhra Pradesh’s final unbroken chief minister.
Please take this letter as my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress, Reddy requested in a letter dated March 11 and written to Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress.
Reddy had previously left the Congress in 2014 over the decision to split Andhra Pradesh and create Telangana by the then-UPA administration.
Although launching his own political party, the Jai Samaikyandhra Party, he joined the Congress again in 2018.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
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