Rajib Bhattacharjee, BJP leader close to ex-CM Biplab Deb, becomes party's Tripura chief ahead of polls

Agartala: Rajib Bhattacharjee, the Tripura BJP vice-president known to be close to former chief minister Biplab Deb, has been appointed as the new president of the state unit, a senior party leader said on Thursday.

Chief Minister Manik Saha was the BJP state president, and the responsibilities were divided because of the upcoming assembly elections due next year, party sources said.

"BJP national president J P Nadda has appointed Rajib Bhattacharjee as the new Tripura state president with immediate effect," BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said.

The appointment came just two days ahead of Nadda's scheduled visit to the poll-bound state.

Nadda is scheduled to arrive in Tripura on August 28 and address a mega rally in Khumulwng, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) which has been bagged by former royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma's newly formed outfit Tipra Motha in an election last year.

The BJP's Tripura in-charge Vinod Sonkar has already arrived in the northeastern and held meetings with senior party leaders to make Nadda's rally a successful mega event.

The rally will also mark the beginning of the BJP's campaign for the village committee elections in the tribal council area likely to be held in November.

Chief Minister Saha congratulated Bhattacharjee on the development.

"Your able leadership will strengthen the party organisation in Tripura," he said in a Facebook post.

Former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb also congratulated the newly appointed party state president.

"I believe under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi Ji & BJP President JP Nadda Ji, newly appointed president Rajib Bhattacharjee will work hard to strengthen BJP4Tripura," Deb said in a Facebook post.