Agartala: Oct 28. In a significant political development, BJP’s Northeast Coordinator and Member of Parliament Dr. Sambit Patra arrived in Tripura on Tuesday, reportedly under the direction of National BJP President JP Nadda, tasked with resolving the deepening intra-party differences within the state unit of the ruling party.
Dr. Patra was received at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport by State General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, former Minister and MLA Bhagaban Das, ST Morcha President Parimal Debbarma and Amit Rakshit, among others. His visit comes amid escalating factional tensions within the Tripura BJP and growing speculation over a possible leadership change, particularly concerning the position of State President Rajib Bhattacharjee.
According to party insiders, the BJP central leadership has deputed Dr. Patra to assess the party’s organisational strength ahead of the upcoming TTAADC elections. He is likely to hold a series of strategic meetings with the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs, and senior functionaries, as well as review the functioning of district and mandal committees.
Dr. Patra is also expected to meet key alliance partners, including the Tipra Motha and IPFT leadership, at a time when relations between the BJP and its Tiprasa ally have strained over issues such as the delay in Village Committee elections, inaction of the state government against illegal immigrants, Customary bills related issues of Council among others.
The speculation over a leadership reshuffle gained traction after the postponement of the Pradesh BJP President’s election, which was initially scheduled for June 29. The election was reportedly deferred following clashes between factions loyal to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. The selection process remains on hold since then.
Adding to the turbulence, former Union Minister of State Pratima Bhoumik recently criticized the state leadership for its alleged mishandling of law and order, stating that “if she were in command, police would have acted with respect.” Her remarks came after she was stopped by police barricades while en route to attend an organizational meeting in Dharmanagar, adding fuels to growing discontent among party ranks.
Political observers believe Dr. Patra’s visit could play a crucial role in restoring unity within the Tripura BJP and preparing the organization for the upcoming polls.
