Agartala (Tripura): All set to have a second run as the Chief Minister of Tripura where the BJP returned to power in the last Assembly election, Manik Saha was the BJP's go-to person after his predecessor Biplab Deb resigned from the post. Deb's resignation came after the RSS leadership considered his actions and often outrageous comments were eroding the BJP's support base in Tripura. Saha on Monday was elected as the Leader of the Tripura BJP Legislative Party becoming the party's choice for the post of Chief Minister.
The BJP leadership zeroed in on Mr Saha as the replacement for Deb. The mild-mannered politician, a dental surgeon by profession was earlier with Congress. He switched his allegiance to the saffron party in 2016. From there the rise of the man projected as 'Mr Clean' by the BJP to become the state unit chief in 2020 to having a second tenure in the State's top post has been nothing short of meteoric.
Saha, who had a brief stint in the Rajya Sabha from April 3 to July 4 last year, became a member of the Tripura Assembly by winning the by-election from the crucial Town Bardowali seat, near Agartala in 2022. A former faculty member at the Tripura Medical College in Hapania, Saha also proved his mettle as an administrator by improving the law and order situation in Tripura and boosting the BJP government's public image within just 10 months of his maiden tenure as the Chief Minister ahead of the last Assembly election on February 16.
Also Read: Manik Saha to continue as Tripura Chief Minister, elected BJP Legislative Party leader
It was much to the relief of the RSS and BJP leadership who realized that the brazen actions and controversial statements of Deb along with the deteriorating law and order situation in the state were causing disenchantment not only among the general public but also the party cadres. Saha's success in improving the law and order situation in the state also managed to blunt the Opposition's main charge against the BJP government and played a key role in BJP's return to power.
Born in 1953, the doctor-turned-politician completed his schooling in Tripura in the early 1970s and received higher education in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He received BDS and MDS degrees in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from the Government Dental College in Patna and the King George's Medical College in Lucknow.
Dr Saha received his B.D.S. and M.D.S. in "Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery" degrees from Government Dental College, Patna, Bihar and King George's Medical College, Lucknow. He is married to Swapna Saha, with whom he has two daughters.
Speaking to reporters earlier Saha said that he will take oath as Chief Minister on March 8 in a ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda. The ceremony will be held at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan. As for the oath-taking ceremonies of the NADA government in Nagaland Meghalaya they are scheduled to be held on March 7.
