Jishnu Dev Varma returns as Tripura deputy CM ahead of state poll
India Today
Jishnu Dev Varma has been re-elected as Tripura's deputy chief minister ahead of the state election.
A day after Manik Saha was sworn in as Tripura's 11th Chief Minister, Jishnu Dev Varma was re-elected as the state's Deputy Chief Minister. The swearing-in ceremony began at 12 pm at the Raj Bhavan in Agartala on Monday.
All the ministers of Bipbal Kumar Deb's cabinet, barring Mevar Kumar Jamatia of Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), have been given a place in the new cabinet.
The Cabinet also includes two new lawmakers - veteran BJP tribal leader Rampada Jamatia and IPFT MLA Prem Kumar Reang.
In total, the 11 MLAs include nine from the BJP and two from the IPFT.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor SN Arya to the cabinet ministers in the presence of Chief Minister Manik Saha, former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and other dignitaries.
In a surprise move ahead of next year's Assembly elections, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb had resigned from the top post last week. The BJP had then elected Saha as the legislature party leader in the presence of the central observers during a meeting on Saturday. He took oath as Chief Minister on Sunday.
READ | Found out at 4 pm on Saturday that I’m Tripura’s next CM, says Manik Saha
