For Tripura's Marxist sarkar, Modi isn't an enemy: PM meets state ministers

Agartala, Dec 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, met Tripura Chief Minister and the state's Council of Ministers after India's lone state ruled by Marxist party invited him to address the state cabinet on the theme 'good governance'.

The invite itself is a rare display of warmth between a communist party-ruled state and BJP-ruled Centre. Later, PMO's twitter handle tweeted this picture:

The state's chief minister Manik Sarkar, who has been holding the post since 1998, seems to be trying to set a new trend by ending the bitterness in Centre-state relationship.Modi will also switch on the second unit of the 726 mw power plant constructed by ONGC-Tripura Power Company Ltd at Palatana, 70km from Agartala.

On Monday, while addressing a rally in Nagaland, Modi said that he will make it a point to visit north-east states regularly, unlike his predecessors. He had also made it clear that there is no place for politics when it came to working with the states for development.

Manik Sarkar is a politburo member of the CPM. He has visited Modi in New Delhi in August, which he described as a courtesy call. He had also written to PM regarding his apprehensions about MGNREGA.\

Read: Tripura CM Manik Sarkar calls on PM Narendra Modi

Now, with the invite extended to Modi, it's clear that Sarkar doesn't want party ideology to come in the way of better relations with the Centre.

Read: Tripura CM urges PM for improvement of relation with B'desh

Sarkar has also been pushing for a sub-regional economic corridor with eastern neighbours - Bangladesh and Myanmar. For this, he needs the support of the Centre.

Read:No 'Modi wave', says Tripura CM Manik Sarkar

Sarkar is widely known as the poorest chief minister in India. In his election affidavit in last polls, he had declared Rs 1,080 in cash and Rs 9,720 in bank balance.

Oneindia News