Meet Animesh & Brishaketu Debbarma, the 2 TIPRA Motha MLAs set to become Tripura ministers today

With Tripura’s prime Opposition TIPRA Mothajoining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday, two party legislators will soon be a part of the Manik Saha cabinet – Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma. Here’s a look at the two TIPRA Motha leaders:

Animesh Debbarma

Animesh Debbarma, 54, has been the Leader of the Opposition in Tripura since 2023 when the TIPRA Motha emerged as the prime Opposition in the state after the Assembly elections.

Born in Rajnagar village in Tripura’s Khowai district in 1970, Animesh does not hail from a big political family. A computer science engineer by profession, he worked as a scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and as an engineer with the Indian Oil Corporation in Mumbai.

Animesh quit his corporate career and returned to Tripura where he joined the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), then led by rebel-politician Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl. Animesh contested from the Asharambari Assembly constituency in 2003 against CPI(M) heavyweight and former minister Aghore Debbarma, defeated him and started his legislative career.

In 2006, Animesh quit INPT and floated his party, the National Conference of Tripura (NCT), along with some other disgruntled members of the tribal party. His debut legislative stint ended in 2008 as he failed to win the Assembly elections held that year.

While he was seen allying with Congress for several subsequent polls, without much success, Animesh teamed up with INPT to merge and float the TIPRA Motha party under royal scion-turned-politician Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma in 2021. Pradyot had just resigned as state Congress president and was looking at promising political leaders to stand with