Tripura CM Biplab Deb Challenges Sr BJP Leader B L Santosh On Prior’s Dissidence

GG News Bureau

Agartala/New Delhi, 27^thJune.In a desperate attempt to counter the central BJP leadership, Tripura government, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb through his close aide education minister Ratan Lal Nath on June 24 had brought together 25 BJP MLAs in an informal meeting in the legislative assembly to send a message to Delhi that he is still popular among the legislators, but all scheme said to be failed.

According to report, most unconventionally Ratan Lal Nath through government chief whip invited 34 BJP MLAs in the assembly without communicating any agenda of discussion. The MLAs were told that education minister had called the meeting as follow up action of BJP’s national general secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh where Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister would not attend.

As many as 13 MLAs who had expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of Biplab Kumar Deb during B L Santosh Tripura visit 10 days ago went to attend the meeting because they were told the Chief Minister would not be there. A total 10 MLAs who have been openly opposing Biplab Kumar Deb for his negative politics did not turn up in the meeting. And, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma was not invited to the gathering.

Later, Ratan Lal Nath to achieve the goal to show a united face of BJP MLAs under Biplab Kumar Deb, called Jishnu to attend the meeting, as Chief Minister was coming but Jishnu had turned it down. The BJP senior leader  Jishnu was offended by such audacity of Ratan Lal Nath.

BJP sources said after being rejected from Congress, only a few months before the assembly elections Nath entered into BJP and within a short span he took over everything including the chief minister. Allegedly, Nath has been the main spoiler of Biplab Deb government from the very first day, which party leaders alerted CM repeatedly but he didn’t bother.

When the MLAs started discussion among themselves about the current political situation of the state and the diminishing popularity of the chief minister, suddenly Biplab Deb entered into the hall that upset the gathering. An MLA who attended the meeting didn’t want to be identified and said, “We went to the meeting after getting confirmation that Biplab will not be there. But we were cheated and they wanted to create confusion in our team who stood against Biplab Deb.”

After arrival of Deb in the meeting, it was revealed that Ratan Lal Nath and Speaker Rabati Mohan Das had planned the meeting in consultation with chief minister to record the presence of maximum MLAs in the meeting to counter the report of B L Santosh to party chief that Biplab Deb lost his majority and unless removed immediately BJP will close in Tripura for ever.

During Santosh visit to Tripura and interaction with MLAs individually, as many as 23 legislators of 31 attended his meeting and both the Lok Sabha MPs reported him against Biplab Deb and the corruption of his OSD Sanjoy Mishra who has been playing a vital role in creating differences among the ministers and MLAs. Realizing the gravity of the situation, B L Santosh reported the matter to J P Nadda on urgent basis.

Based on which, Nadda had held meetings with BJP’s alliance partner IPFT leaders in Delhi to get their feedback. The IPFT leaders have also made it clear that “Biplab Deb is not doing good rather his performance and actions causing severe harm for both BJP and IPFT.”

According to latest report & sources, as communicated to all senior leaders in New Delhi, at least 15-20 BJP MLAs would not continue under Deb’s government anymore. When central leadership decided to take the call for Tripura to save BJP, Biplab played foul with B L Santosh challenging his reporting to central leaders.