BJP's Tripura unit president Manik Saha is all set to take oath as the new chief minister of the state after Biplab Kumar Deb resigned from his post on Saturday in a surprise move ahead of the Assembly elections due next year.
Saha was elected the BJP legislature party leader at a key meeting held in Agartala in the evening.
"Congratulations and best wishes to @DrManikSaha2 ji on being elected as the legislature party leader. I believe under PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision and leadership Tripura will prosper," Deb tweeted.
Senior BJP leaders Bhupender Yadav and Vinod Tawde, who had been appointed as observers for the election of the legislature party leader, attended the meeting.
Earlier, Deb, the first BJP chief minister of the state, announced his resignation after meeting Governor S.N. Arya at Raj Bhavan.
"Party is above all. I am a loyal worker of the BJP. I hope I have done justice to the responsibilities that were given to me -- whether it was BJP state president or Tripura chief minister. I have worked for the overall development of Tripura, and to ensure peace for the people of the state," he told reporters.
"The party wants me to work to strengthen the organisation," he said.
Deb had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda in Delhi on Thursday. His resignation came amid rumours of infighting in the party's state unit.
Deb had taken oath as the chief minister in 2018, ending the 25-year-rule of the CPI(M).
According to reports, the saffron party wanted to go with a fresh face in the Assembly polls and Deb would be engaged in organisational work.
