In what has become a big political twist, the Chief Minister of the BJP ruling Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb has on Saturday - May 14 resigned from the post as the unanticipated development has swiftly drawn nationwide attention and it has sparked debate over his successor. Deb has stepped down from the post ahead of the assembly elections. 

Deb's resignation has come two days after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He has cited that in view of the upcoming elections, he has tendered his resignation to work for strengthening the party in the state. In his official statement, the outgoing Chief Minister said, "I have served the people of Tripura to the best of capabilities to provide them justice and give them a Left-free state with the marg darshan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." 

"The assembly elections are coming and the party wants me to strengthen the organization. It is only when the organization is strong, there will be a government. We need to prepare for 2023." Kumar Deb had made the announcement after meeting and submitting his resignation to Tripura Governor SN Arya. On the other hand, the reports say that he has resigned after the events of intra- party conflict in the state's BJP unit. 

Tripura has been witnessing waves of revolt by disgruntled BJP legislators against Deb for the past two years and some of the BJP MLAs had already quit the party and joined Congress. On Thursday, Kumar Deb was summoned to New Delhi where he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda. The leadership has passed the orders for a transition of power in Tripura in view of the assembly elections. 

BJP aims to retain the power in the state where its rival Mamata's Trinamool Congress is also striving to build a base. Reacting to Kumar Deb's resignation, Trinamool Congress said, "Goodbye & good riddance to the CM who failed thousands of people in Tripura. Enough damage done. So much so that even the top bosses at BJP are fed up with his incompetence. Folks at BJP seem very rattled by what Trinamool Congress achieved in the state. Change is inevitable." 

Biplab Kumar Deb had become the Chief Minister in 2018 after ousting the 25-year-old rule of the Communist Party of India. The reports say that Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, Union Minister Pratima Bhowimk, and Tripura BJP President Dr Manik Saha are said to be top contenders for the Chief Ministerial post.