Agartala, Apr 7 (UNI) Veteran communist leader and longest-serving Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar has been dropped from CPI-M’s highest policy-making body politburo and replaced by party’s State Secretary and leader of opposition Jitendra Chaudhury in the 24th party congress in Madurai.

Chaudhury is the third communist leader from Tripura to become a member of the politburo. Former Tripura Chief Ministers Nripen Chakraborty (1978-88) and Manik Sarkar (1998-24) had earlier served as politburo members before Chaudhury, who is the only tribal leader from the state to become a member of the CPI-M’s highest policy-making body.

In a statement, the party said former ministers Manik Dey, Naresh Jamatia, Ratan Bhowmik, and woman leader Krishna Rakshit found a place in the 85-member central committee from Tripura, while four leaders were dropped from the body on health grounds and age bars.

Manik Sarkar, who is already 76 years old, stepped down from his position as politburo member as the party introduced a 75-year upper age limit in 2022 for retirement from major leadership positions, including the politburo and central committee.

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