• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, February 07, 2022 : Disgruntled legislators from Tripura’s ruling BJP-led government, Sudip Roy Barman and Asish Kumar Saha, tendered their resignations to Speaker Ratan Chakraborty on Monday at the Legislative Assembly premises in Agartala.

Barely 12 months ahead of assembly elections, which is slated to be held in 2023, the dissident MLAs of BJP on Monday put an end to the days of speculation about their shift to the Indian National Congress (INC) party.

Both Roy Barman and Saha left for New Delhi today and are expected to meet top leaders from the Indian National Congress party. Later this month, they are planning to join grand old party.

Briefing reporters after resignation, Roy Barman said “We are into politics for the denizens of Tripura, but we are observing that people are suffering in agony and troubles for past few years. Now, we are relieved. At present, democracy is in danger, one man is ruling here and no other members of the council of ministers can work freely”.

Dissident MLA also accused a section of officials and heads as they had become the puppets of those ruling party leaders and the government is not addressing the people’s sufferings.

“As we cannot accept the misrule of BJP, we had to speak against the party. We shall return from New Delhi on Saturday next and apprise people in detail. The government will soon transform into a minority”, he also added.

Speaking to reporters here after tendering resignation, MLA Saha said “We have handed our resignation letters to the TLA Speaker and he had accepted it. As per law, the resignations will be scrutinized and proper steps shall be initiated.”

“We have resigned from the primary membership of ruling BJP from today onwards. The copy of the same had been forwarded to the party Pradesh president Prof Dr Manik Saha. We are hopeful, he would except it”, he added.

MLA also said “Now, we will board flights for New Delhi. after returning from the National capital, we will apprise people in detail about main motive of our resignation”.

However, the duo were hesitant to respond to a media question about whether they would meet the Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.