Its official, Motha joining state cabinet, Animesh, Brishaketu  to take oath on Thursday morning

Induction of TIPRA Motha in the state cabinet has been finalized and Tipra-Motha will join the BJP led cabinet as swearing-in-ceremony will be held at Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning at 9.30 AM.

Days after a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government on March 2 , the main opposition of Tripura, Tipra-Motha will join the BJP-led government before the Lok Sabha elections.

Official sources confirmed that during the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday morning, Tipra-Motha will join the state cabinet.

The Tipra Motha has 13 MLAs in the 60-member assembly and is likely to get two berths, said a leader of the party.

Sources said that incumbent opposition leader and senior Motha legislator Animesh Debbarma and party MLA Brishaketu Debbarma are likely to take oath as Cabinet ministers at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning.

Leader of the opposition in the assembly, Animesh Debbarma of the Tipra Motha, told reporters that he is “not officially authorized” to speak on the issue. Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma, a scion of the Tripura princely family, is now in Delhi. “He is scheduled to return from Shillong on Thursday morning and will join the swearing ceremony.

Media reports said that one or two MLAs from the ruling BJP are also likely to be included in the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Dr Saha.

Since the BJP-led alliance assumed charge for the second consecutive term on March 8 last year, three ministerial berths are lying vacant.

Another tribal-based party, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), is also an ally of the BJP-led government, and its lone MLA Shukla Charan Noatia is a Cabinet minister in charge of Cooperation, Tribal Welfare (TRP and PTG) and Welfare of Minorities Departments.

After the Assembly polls, the Motha became the second-largest party in the state to secure the main opposition party status.

On March 2, Tipra Motha had signed a tripartite agreement with the Center and the Tripura government 2 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Dr  Manik Saha and others.

According to the agreement, a Joint Working Group, Committee would be formed to work out and implement the mutually-agreed issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an 'honourable' solution to tribals' demands.

“The agreement was signed amicably to resolve all the issues of the indigenous people of Tripura relating to their history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language etc.,” the agreement said.

 The stage for Motha’s joining the cabinet was prepared during the signing of tripartite agreement with the centre and the state government at Delhi on March 2. It was not a part of the agreement and was a verbal understanding only. The TIPRA Motha put an official approval to it on Tuesday in a meeting of the members of the central executive committee held at Manikya Enclave in Agartala as reported by North East Colors.