Charismatic Sarkar led Left surge in Tripura

Agartala, Mar 10 (UNI) A politician, gentleman and one of the cleanest in the rank and file of CPI(M), Mr Manik Sarkar made the hat-trick as he was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tripura today after the red bastion held sway in the 10th Assembly polls.

This is a record in Tripura's political history as the CPI(M)-led Left Front garnered overwhelming support of people, demolishing any anti-incumbency trend that the pre-poll predictions showed.

While Mr Sarkar's detractors harped on the corruption factor, the 59-year-old Marxist leader's progress, employment and rural development poll planks worked wonders as the people reposed their faith in the overall progress of the state, peace and stability.

Born on January 22, 1949, Mr Sarkar started his political career with the food movement in 1967. He became a member of the CPI(M) in 1968. Later, he became the General Secretary of M B B College Student's Union.

Mr Sarkar graduated from the Kolkata University and was selected a member of the CPI(M) State Committee in 1972. He became a member of the Party Central Committee in 1985.

Later, he was appointed the State Left Front Convenor and the State Secretary of the CPI(M). He was elected from the Dhanpur Assembly Constituency in the 1998 Tripura elections and subsequently became member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau in 1998. He has served as the Chief Minister of Tripura since March 1998.

Marxist stalwart and former Chief Minister Nripen Chakraborty was Mr Sarkar's philosopher and guide. Mr Sarkar entered the Legislative House by winning a bypoll in Agartala in 1981 and became the Chief Minister in 1998 after wining from the Dhanpur segment in the West district.

The high points of his career included a declining trend of militancy, roads in remote areas, two medical colleges and development activities in both urban and rural areas.

The people respect the 'Bhadralok' (gentleman) Chief Minister for his soft demeanour and strong resolve to make Tripura one of the most progressive states in the country.

According to the EC records, the Marxist leader is the poorest Chief Minister of the country with a bank balance of only Rs 13,920.

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