In a move towards reconciliation, the BJP has initiated dialogue with the party’s rebel leaders and MLAs in Tripura. State BJP in-charge Vinod Kumar Sonkar separately met dissidents such as former Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman and MLAs Asish Das and Sushanta Choudhury on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mr. Sonkar left for Delhi on Thursday after holding series of meetings with senior party functionaries and leaders of the fronts for the past three days. He also attended a meeting with leaders of the party’s Janajati Morcha to discuss organisation and campaign issues due to the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
Mr. Barman, who was sacked from the Council of Ministers soon after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on charges of anti-party activities, has been leading the camp of disgruntled MLAs and leaders who are seeking certain modifications in the party organisation and the Cabinet.
The dissidents hitherto received lukewarm response from the central leadership despite their several trips to New Delhi over nearly two years. However, with the TTAADC elections approaching, the BJP top brass reportedly instructed Mr. Sonkar to work out reconciliation with the rebels.
The MLAs refused to speak on the outcome of their meeting with the BJP State In-charge.
