CM pick a dental surgeon with clean image
AGARTALA: Manik Saha, a Rajya Sabha MP, on Saturday was named the new chief minister of Tripura, replacing Biplab Deb, who assumed the post in 2018.
Soon after Deb’s resignation a year ahead of state assembly elections, Saha, 69, was elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislative party, although he is not a member of the state assembly.
“I will continue to work as a party karyakarta (functionary) in my new position,” Saha said after being named as chief minister designate.
A well-known dental surparty’s geon, Saha quit the Congress and joined the BJP in 2016. During his initial days in the party, he was pristha pramukh in-charge of urban areas in the booth management committee in the 2018 assembly polls.
He was made in-charge of the 2018 membership drive before the state went for polls.
After BJP’S thumping victory in the assembly polls, he was given the responsibility of in-charge of booth management committee for 2019 parliamentary elections. He was made state president of the party in 2020, a post that was occupied by Deb for four years.
“Manik Saha has the quality of a good leader. He has knowledge about organizational activities,” said BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya. “We wish him luck on his new journey as chief minister.”
Saha’s political career started shining when he was elected as the lone Rajya Sabha MP from
Tripura last month.
Born in 1953, he completed a Bachelor of Dental Studies programme from Government Dental College in Patna and later pursued Master of Dental Surgery in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from King Georges’ Medical College in Lucknow.
Besides being a practising dental surgeon, Saha was head of dental surgery department at Tripura Medical College and Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Teaching Hospital in Agartala.
Dr Ranabir Roy, senior dental surgeon said, “I worked with him as a junior. He is a good mentor and always keep on inspiring the juniors. I wish him good luck for his new position.”