In a surprise move, BJP made Rajya Sabha MP Manik Saha the new chief minister of Tripura, succeeding Biplab Kumar Deb who resigned earlier on Saturday.

Saha, the BJP's state president, was elected the legislature party leader at a meeting at the chief minister's official residence soon after a crestfallen Deb tendered his resignation to Governor SN Arya. As Deb proposed the 69-year-old Saha's name in the meeting, minister Ram Prasad Paul protested, which led to a scuffle among MLAs.