Two Tripura MLAs Quit BJP, Join Congress Today

Two Tripura MLAs Sudip Roy Barman and Ashish Kumar Saha, who quit BJP on Monday joined Congress today.

The two MLAs met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Delhi before joining the Grand Old Party, reported news agency ANI.

The BJP’s strength has now reduced to 33 in the 60-member Tripura Assembly.

“Many MLAs are ready but perhaps they want to wait for a few more months due to technicality. Everyone is disillusioned with the party. I feel Tripura can go to polls along with Gujarat & Himachal,” Barman said after joining the Congress.

Sudip Roy Barman had hit out at the BJP last week, claiming that there is no democracy in the state and people are suffocating. “There is no shred of democracy in the state. People are suffocating because democratic oxygen has exhausted,” Barman had said.

The BJP had then said that it was closely observing Barman's movement and proper action would be taken "when the time comes". Barman had joined the BJP from the Trinamool Congress in 2017 ahead of the next year's Assembly elections.

He was removed as the health minister in June 2019, days after Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb warned of stern action against "enemies in the BJP".