2023: BJP consolidates position in Tripura; Tipra Motha emerges as major power

Tripura's BJP wins second consecutive term in 2023 elections; Tipra Motha emerges as main opposition; infrastructure development with Indo-Bangla rail connectivity and Saurav Ganguly as brand ambassador.

The BJP might have won the Assembly elections in February 2023 for the second consecutive term and consolidated its position in Tripura, but the polls also brought some changes in the opposition camp.

The Tipra Motha, founded by former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma just four years ago, emerged as the main opposition party, while the CPI(M) which ruled the state for 25 years in a row was relegated to the third position in terms of the number of MLAs in the assembly.

In a surprise move, the BJP replaced Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb with Manik Saha in May last year, a few months before the assembly elections in the northeastern state.

The saffron party won 32 seats in the elections to the 60-member Assembly while its ally IPFT bagged one seat. The Tipra Motha secured 13 seats while the CPI(M) and its alliance partner Congress got 10 and three seats respectively.

The BJP, however, increased its tally to 33 in a by-poll.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front was dethroned after 25 years by the BJP-IPFT combine in 2018.