Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday, 30 August separately warned that the people of the state would not permit the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to engineer a so-called 'lateral entry' to power, accusing the Left of having 'ruined' Tripura during its 35 years in government. Both leaders spoke at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) felicitation event in Agartala, organised to honour Deb on his appointment as the party's National General Secretary.

Saha's Warning to the Left

Chief Minister Saha stated that the Communists were waiting for the BJP-led government to collapse so they could seize an opening — but he asserted that no such opportunity would arise. 'We want a constructive Opposition in the state, but it seems they have failed to deliver,' Saha said. He described the CPI(M)'s three-and-a-half-decade rule as a period of stagnation and decline, and argued that the political transformation since 2018 had fundamentally altered the state's trajectory.

Saha also highlighted what he called a run of firsts for Tripura under BJP rule at the national level. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot for our state. Former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma was made the Governor of Telangana for the first time from Tripura, and now he is serving as the Governor of Maharashtra. Now, Biplab Kumar Deb has been appointed the BJP's National General Secretary,' he said.

Lauding Deb's leadership, Saha recalled that Deb had steered the BJP to a historic victory in the 2018 Assembly elections, a result that many political observers had once considered 'impossible.' He added that the party's core strength lay in its workers and cadres, whose primary mandate was to serve the people.

Deb Credits Modi, Shah for His Rise

Deb, in his address, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for elevating him from 'an ordinary party worker' to Chief Minister of Tripura and subsequently to the post of National General Secretary. He credited both leaders with making the political transformation in Tripura possible.

Deb also issued a directive to party workers: 'Ensure that a leader visits at least five households a day alongside his or her day-to-day work. It will help the party win and retain the confidence of the people.' He stressed that sustained grassroots contact was the key to maintaining public trust.

Deb Dismisses Factionalism Claims

Pushing back against any suggestion of internal discord, Deb asserted that there is currently no factionalism or infighting within the BJP in Tripura. He argued that it was precisely such disunity among opposition parties in the past that had allowed the Left to remain in power for 35 years. 'There is no reason for the CPI(M) to come back to power again,' he said.

Deb also invoked Prime Minister Modi directly: 'So long as Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister, there will be no problem in ensuring development and creating employment opportunities in Tripura as well as in the country.'

What This Signals for Tripura Politics

The event underscores the BJP's intent to consolidate its organisational base ahead of future electoral cycles, even as the CPI(M) seeks to rebuild its presence in the state. The dual speeches from Saha and Deb — the sitting and former chief ministers — signal a unified front at the top of the state unit. Notably, this is the first time a BJP leader from Tripura has risen to the post of National General Secretary, a milestone the party is keen to leverage in its outreach across the state.