Agartala, July 03, 2025: Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu on Thursday administered the oath of office and secrecy to BJP legislator Kishor Barman, marking the second expansion of the Manik Saha-led cabinet since it returned to power in March 2023. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, located in the New Capital Complex on the outskirts of Agartala.

Barman, 45, a first-time MLA from the Nalchar Assembly constituency in Sepahijala district, is also a General Secretary of the BJP’s state unit. With his induction, the Tripura council of ministers has reached its constitutional limit of 12 members, including the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, his cabinet colleagues, and senior officials from the civil and security establishments attended the ceremony. Following the event, Barman expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and the BJP’s central leadership for entrusting him with ministerial responsibilities.

However, the event was boycotted by the opposition CPI(M) and Congress, who alleged ongoing political violence and repression of opposition workers across the state.

This is the second cabinet expansion under Saha’s leadership. The first took place on March 7, 2024, when two MLAs from the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) — Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma — were inducted as ministers, marking the party’s formal entry into the ruling coalition.

The BJP-IPFT alliance had secured a second term in the 2023 Assembly elections, winning 33 seats in the 60-member legislature — BJP bagged 32, and its ally IPFT secured one. TMP, contesting for the first time, emerged as the second-largest party with 13 seats. The CPI(M) won 11 seats, and Congress took three under a seat-sharing arrangement with the Left Front.

The IPFT, also a tribal-based party, continues to hold one cabinet berth, occupied by Sukla Charan Noatia.