BJP MLA Burba Mohan Tripura quits, likely to join Tipra Motha

Agartala, Sep 22: BJP MLA Burba Mohan Tripura resigned on Friday amid speculation that he may join Tipra Motha.

In his resignation letter, the MLA of Karbook in Gomati district cited "personal reasons" for quitting as a member of the assembly. "The BJP MLA of Karbook assembly segment met me, and submitted his resignation letter citing personal reasons. He was accompanied by Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma," Tripura assembly speaker Ratan Chakraborty told PTI.

The resignation has been accepted as he followed the procedure, the speaker said.

"Tripura is not a member of the assembly from today itself," he said.

"I requested him not to resign as the tenure of the present assembly is going to expire shortly, but he insisted on quitting," he said.

With this resignation, the strength of the 60-member assembly went down to 58 as IPFT MLA Brishaketu Debbarma was earlier disqualified.

"Burba Mohan Tripura resigned as an MLA as well as a member of the BJP. He doesn't want to get involved in any national political party. He wants to work for the cause of Tiprasa -- the indigenous tribes of Tripura," said the Tipra Motha chief.

Despite the resignation, the Manik Saha-led government has a clear majority in the assembly. The BJP has 35 MLAs, while its ally IPFT has seven MLAs. Opposition CPI(M) has 15 MLAs and Congress has one MLA.