Tripura: BJP MLA Biswabandhu Sen elected as Assembly speaker

Former Deputy Speaker and BJP-IPFT candidate, Biswabandhu Sen, was elected as the speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly on March 24. 

Sen got 32 votes while Congress leader Gopal Chandra Roy secured 14 votes in the election which was held on March 24 -- the first day of the state Assembly session after the new government was sworn in earlier this month.

The 69-year-old Sen was with Congress before switching to BJP in 2017.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha congratulated Sen on being elected as speaker of the Assembly and added, ''I believe, the glory of the House will reach new heights under his able leadership''.

The saffron had fielded Sen for the speaker, while the opposition Congress and the Marxist Communist Party (Marxist Party) jointly fielded Gopal Chandra Roy as their candidate. 

“My party leaders have chosen my name and I have no doubt about my victory as we are the ruling party in the Assembly,” Sen said.

The BJP-IPFT alliance has 33 MLAs in the 60-member Tripura Assembly, while the opposition Congress and CPI(M) have 14 MLAs together.

On the other hand, Tipra Motha has 13 MLAs.

Also read: Tripura: TIPRA Motha walks out from Assembly over seating arrangements