Tripura CM likely to take oath as MLA after presidential election: Speaker

Three newly-elected MLAs of Tripura took oath on Tuesday, but Chief Minister Manik Saha who also won the June 23 by-election to become a legislator was not sworn in by the speaker.

Congress's Sudip Roy Barman, who won the Agartala seat, and BJP's Mailna Das (Jubarajnagar) and Swapna Das (Surma) were swron in as MLAs by Speaker Ratan Chakraborty at the assembly's lobby.

Though the chief minister, who won the bypoll from Town Bardowali, was present at the programme, he did not take the oath.

"Since Chief Minister Manik Saha is also a Rajya Sabha member, he has to leave one post. Once he decides, he will take the oath. I don't think Saha will quit as an MLA because he has been made the chief minister," the speaker told reporters.

He said the presidential election is slated to be held on July 18.

"It appears that the chief minister is likely to take oath after the presidential elections. The decision will be taken by the BJP high command," the speaker said.

Saha, a Rajya Sabha member, was sworn as the chief minister of Tripura after Biplab Kumar Deb abruptly resigned on May 14.

After being appointed chief minister, Saha has six months' time to become a member of the assembly, as per the rules.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M)-led Left Front boycotted the programme, alleging widespread post-poll violence.

"We were invited to join the swearing-in ceremony but the party decided to boycott it in protest against the massive post-poll violence spearheaded by BJP-backed goons," CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury alleged.

"Democracy was murdered in the name of by-elections. It will send a wrong message to the people if we joined the programme. That's why the Left Front boycotted the oath-taking ceremony," he told PTI.