Tripura bypolls: bjp win strengthens manik saha but will it end factionalism?

Apart from the BJP, these results are very significant for Chief Minister Manik Saha, who himself has led the party’s campaign in these seats. He toured the various areas falling under the

two seats. With the chief minister himself on the ground visiting local voters, the saffron party got a big lead over the Left even during the election campaign. Any loss for the saffron

party in the bypolls would have dented Saha’s political image. It has to be mentioned that he was appointed as the chief minister of the state by the central leadership after suddenly

replacing Biplab Deb last year — and this replacement of Deb with Saha benefited the party in the state assembly elections held six months ago. Saha’s simplicity and soft-speaking image

improved the state leadership’s image among the voters of the state. However, since his removal, Deb, who is currently the party’s Haryana-in-charge, has been trying to enter state politics.

He has been unhappy with the way Saha, who was once considered close to him, has been running the government and also influencing the party state affairs. This came out in the open this

year when Deb openly expressed his views by saying that outsiders were running the party. Although he didn’t specifically mention anyone, it was very much clear that he was specifically

targeting the chief minister and his followers.