Agartala, March 27, 2025: A heated exchange took place in the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Thursday as ruling BJP and opposition Congress MLAs clashed over the absence of the principal opposition CPIM from the House. The controversy stemmed from demands for Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen’s intervention to bring the CPIM back on the fifth day of the ongoing Budget session.

Following the Question Hour, Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy raised concerns about the absence of CPIM legislators. “It’s not appropriate for the House to continue without the principal opposition. I support Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha’s appeal, but I urge the Speaker to intervene and resolve the dispute,” he stated.

The CPIM had announced its boycott of the remaining business days on Wednesday, accusing Speaker Sen of partisan behavior. The dispute erupted after Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury moved a privilege motion against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath, alleging that he had made a racial slur. However, the Speaker rejected the motion, citing that a similar one had already been submitted by Minister Nath.

Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha had also appealed to the CPIM to return, emphasizing the importance of their participation in legislative proceedings. “The Chief Minister, who is the Leader of the House, has appealed to them to return, but it is up to the Leader of the Opposition, Jitendra Chaudhury, to decide,” Speaker Sen remarked.

Defending the Speaker’s stance, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath hit back at the opposition, stating, “The Leader of the House has already appealed. Those who repeat the same mistakes every day are known as Communists. Why hasn’t Congress asked them to return?”

Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, however, thanked the Chief Minister for his appeal and stressed that the Speaker, as the custodian of the House, should formally invite the LoP for talks.

Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury criticized Roy Barman’s stance, recalling past political rivalries. “The Congress MLA might have forgotten how CPIM treated him when he was the Leader of the Opposition. Showing sympathy for CPIM is totally undemocratic,” he asserted.

As tensions persisted, the CPIM remained absent, leaving the Assembly divided over the Speaker’s role and the opposition’s boycott.