CPI(M) state secretary and  legislature party leader Jitendra Chaudhury on Wednesday recognised as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Tripura Assembly by Speaker Biswabandhu Sen.

The post of LoP has been lying vacant after incumbent, Tipra-Motha MLA Animesh Debbarma quit before becoming minister in Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha-led BJP government on March 7.

Officials said that state Assembly Speaker Sen invited Chaudhury on Wednesday and discussed the LoP-related issues and then recognised him for the post.

After assuming the office of the LoP, the 66-years-old Left leader, also a former minister and former Lok Sabha member, said that inside and outside the assembly he would highlight the issues and interest of the common people.

“Actually, as per the result of the last year’s assembly polls in terms of vote percentage we got the second position (24.62 per cent votes) but TMP was recognised as the opposition party as they got 13 seats (20 per cent votes) and CPI(M) secured 11 seats,” Chaudhury told the media.

Animesh Debbarma and fellow Tipra-Motha MLA Brishaketu Debbarma became ministers after the tribal based party, led by former royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, decided to join the BJP-led coalition government after signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in New Delhi on March 2 on their demands to resolve the tribals’ socio-economic issues through constitutional provision.

In the February 16, 2023 Assembly polls, the TMP won 13 seats and became the second-largest party after the ruling BJP, which won 32 seats while its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) secured one seat.

The CPI(M), which contested the polls in a seat-sharing adjustment with the Congress, managed 11 seats and the Congress bagged three.

However, CPI(M) MLA from Boxanagar Assembly seat Samsul Haque died on July 19 last year following a cardiac attack and, in the September 5, 2023, by-elections, the BJP wrested the seat for the first time.

With the victory in the by polls, the BJP’s tally increased to 33 in the 60-member assembly while CPI(M)’s strength went down to 10.