Two Tripura BJP MLAs Resign

"Roy Barman and Saha called on me and submitted their resignation letters. I have asked the Secretary of Tripura Legislative Assembly to examine the resignation letters. I will accept their resignations only if their letters are as per the parameters laid down in the Business of Conduct of the assembly," Chakraborty said. Roy Barman told reporters at the assembly that they will travel to New Delhi and finalise the future course of action amid speculation that they might join the Congress on Tuesday.

"I am relieved after resigning because the BJP-led government has miserably failed to live up to the expectations. Democracy has been throttled in Tripura and no one is allowed to speak," said Roy Barman, the former health minister and a known critic of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. "A 'mukhia' (headman) and some officers are running an autocratic government in Tripura where no one is there to hear the voice of the people. Ministers are not allowed to discharge their duties independently. We will bulldoze the conspiracy to hijack democracy," he said. Roy Barman claimed the BJP-led government in the state will be reduced to minority before the next assembly elections as many MLAs are planning to leave the party "out of frustration".

Asked whether they will return to the Congress, he said, "Let's see what happens in Delhi." Saha, the other BJP MLA, said they have also sent letters to BJP state president Manik Saha, resigning from the primary membership of the party. "We will be back in Tripura on February 12," he said. The ruling BJP in Tripura rubbished any threat to the Biplab Kumar Deb government, stating that the party's leadership was well aware of the development in advance.

"Their recent activities do not suit the party. We tried to sort out the differences with the two MLAs but they were not convinced with our efforts. As politicians, they have the right to join or leave a party. We are keeping a close watch and will do the needful," the BJP state president said. Dismissing the possibility of exodus of MLAs as claimed by Roy Barman, Saha said the party's leadership would meet soon to review the political scenario in the aftermath of the resignations of the two legislators.

The BJP's tally went down to 33 in the 60-member assembly with the resignation of the two MLAs. While BJP ally IPFT has eight MLAs, the opposition Left Front's tally stands at 15. Earlier, BJP MLA Asish Das was declared disqualified by the speaker on the ground of "misconduct", while CPI(M) MLA Ramendra Chandra Debnath of Yubarajnagar died on February 2.

With PTI Inputs