Agartala: Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday met a Tipra Motha delegation led by party supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma at the state guest house here. The meeting which is still going on is also being attended by BJP president J P Nadda and Tripura's newly sworn in chief minister Manik Saha. Debbarma, a descendant of the former ruling family of Tripura, had long been seeking a 'constitutional solution' to demands by his party for a separate state of Tiprasa. The Tipra Motha recently won 13 seats in elections to the 60-member Tripura state assembly. He is believed to be leading a six-member delegation to the talks. 


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While the BJP has made it clear that it is unwilling to concede a division of the tiny state of Tripura, its leadership has spoken of a willingness to give more legislative, financial and executive powers to the Tripura Tribal autonomous council which exists and runs affairs in areas dominated by tribal communities.



Manik Saha takes oath as Tripura CM


Manik Saha on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister, days after BJP-IPFT alliance retained power in Tripura for the second straight term by winning 32 seats in the 60-member state assembly, for which elections were held on February 16.



Along with the 70-year-old Saha, eight other legislators, including a woman, assumed office as cabinet ministers against the total ministerial strength of 12.


Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath and secrecy to the Chief Minister and other ministers - Ratan Lal Nath, Pranajit Singh Roy, Santana Chakma, Sushanta Chowdhury, Tinku Roy, Bikash Debbarma, Sudhangshu Das, Sukla Charan Noatia.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), N. Biren Singh (Manipur), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh), Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim) and a host of dignitaries were in attendance at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan.


Among the ministers, who took oath on Wednesday, four are new faces -- Tinku Roy, Bikash Debbarma, Sudhangshu Das, Sukla Charan Noatia and Santana Chakma, who was also the minister in the first BJP government, is the only woman minister.