Tripura: Veteran BJP MLA alleges factionalism within party

Despite being the senior leader of the party in Tripura, Paul was not included in the cabinet.

His candidature was held up during ticket distribution before the election on the allegation of anti-party activities, which appeared in a video during the selection of Dr Manik Saha in May last year as Chief Minister replacing Biplab Kumar Deb.

Allegedly, Paul was opposing the selection of Dr Saha citing the reason that he was too junior to elect as CM and not an MLA where several veteran BJP leaders and MLAs were there to be elevated as Chief Minister.

The video shows that Paul became irritated, shouted, and threw chairs protesting the manner of Dr Saha’s selection.

Later, Paul continued as a minister in Saha’s cabinet and became a close associate of the chief minister although the other group in the BJP tried to use Paul against Dr Saha.

According to Ramprasad, after failing to prevent his ticket the vested interest group of the party spread a rumour that he is leaving BJP intending to sideline him in the party.

"A large number of people have suddenly joined the BJP in the last few years and later been elevated to plum posts. Now they want to steer the party according to their whims.

"People like us who have been associated with this party organization for the last 35 years now face trouble for our existence," Paul told the media.

"I joined the BJP in 1989 and have been working for the party to date uninterruptedly but somebody feels I will quit the party just because I was not offered a certain post, this is rubbish and baseless.

"Working in the party organization and holding an administrative post in the government is different in BJP – I know it well," Paul pointed out.

According to party sources, a faction led by Rajya Sabha MP and former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik allegedly worked against CM Dr Saha, former Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma, party president Rajib Bhattacharjee, Ramprasad Paul in the assembly election, which was the reason for the defeat of Dev Varma and Bhattacharjee although Dr Saha and Paul survived narrowly.