MLA Pratima Bhoumik resigns from the post, Bypolls in Tripura

Agartala: Union minister Pratima Bhoumik on Wednesday resigned from her post as an MLA, ending the suspense over her future role in Tripura politics.

The resignation paves the way for another by-election from the state’s Dhanpur assembly constituency.
Bhoumik was the first non-Left MLA to represent Dhanpur in 50 years, but her resignation has disappointed voters in the constituency. She resigned a day before the newly elected MLAs were to be sworn in by newly elected Speaker Pro-tem Bhusan Das.
Das was administered the oath of office by Governor SN Arya at the Raj Bhavan, hours before Bhoumik’s resignation letter was received.

Bhoumik was accompanied by senior BJP leader and power minister Ratan Lal Nath during the announcement of his resignation.
Bhoumik expressed her best wishes for the newly appointed Pro-tem Speaker and hoped that the new government would fulfill its promises towards the overall development of the state. She expressed these views while talking to the media.

Bhoumik said that the election results of the 60-member state assembly were announced on March 2, in which the BJP won an absolute majority.
“However, due to my constitutional obligations to hold two portfolios as a Union Minister and an MLA, I have to relinquish one role. Therefore, I have decided to resign as an MLA. ,” said Bhoumik.
Bhoumik said that she has resigned from her post as per the advice of the party high command. She further said that the top leadership of BJP had allowed her to contest the elections despite being an elected member of the assembly and holding the post of minister of state. However, the party has now advised him to continue in her role as a parliamentarian, leading to her resignation. Bhoumik emphasized that there would be no compromise on the development promises he had made during the election campaign, and that all promises for the development of Dhanpur would be fulfilled.
Sources within the BJP revealed that former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma will contest from Dhanpur to be reinstated. Dhanpur by-elections will be held within six months as per rules.While two ADC constituencies will also hold by-elections as Deputy Chief Executive Member Animesh Debbarma and Executive Member Chitta Ranjan Debbarma Tipra Motha will be sworn in as party MLAs. However, by-elections to district council areas will be conducted by the State Election Commission unlike Dhanpur, which falls under the purview of the Election Commission of India.