Claiming that BJP's performance in Tripura was on expected lines, Chief Minister Manik Saha, who won the elections from Town Bardowali Assembly constituency, said the saffron party-led government will continue to work for the state's development across all sectors.?

Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and other central leaders, who had extensively campaigned for the party’s candidates, the chief minister said the state, "for the first time", witnessed a triangular fight.

"BJP's victory was expected… We were eagerly waiting for it. Our responsibility has increased now. We will walk in the direction Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows us.? "In Tripura, elections so far was a direct fight between two parties. This is for the first time, a triangular fight was witnessed in the state," he told reporters.

Stressing that the BJP would seek to maintain peace and tranquility in the state, Saha said the party had carefully drafted its strategy to win the elections.?"Next, we will have a brainstorming session, where leaders would discuss about the assembly poll performance, and what else could be done to strengthen the party further," the CM said.

The doctor-turned-politician said the new government would work to make 'Ek Tripura, Srestha Tripura'. In the byelection held last year, Saha had won Town Bardowali constituency, defeating Congress candidate Asish Kumar Saha by a margin of over 5,000 votes. This time, his victory margin was reduced to 1,257 votes.