Zee India Conclave | Hungry for development, Tripura gave reins to BJP, says Sunil Deodhar

There was no magic wand that did the trick for BJP in Tripura but it was the will of the people of the state yearning for change and development that brought the party to power, said Sunil Deodhar, considered the architect of the victory in the recent Assembly elections.

Speaking at the Zee India Conclave, where he shared the stage with newly elected Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad Sangma discussing the change in the political narrative in the context of the Northeast, Deodhar gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the success.

Deodhar said he is no Panchari and only a party worker. Even Sangma praised Modi's efforts in winning Tripura. "There was a feeling that Northeast was neglected but it is changing now. PM Modi's decision to send a central minister to Northeast has made an impact." Sangma said the people of Northeast also need to change their mindset and get confidence that they are a part of India.

Deodhar, who has made Tripura his home, sang in local Khasi dialect of Meghalaya, Manipuri and Bengali showcasing his close links with the region and also translated the Bharat Mata Ki Jai in the Khasi dialect amid applause. He said the BJP victories in Northeast will have a big impact on elections in other states.

When asked about the razing of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's statue in Tripura after the BJP stormed to power, Deodhar said such acts of violence were condemned by the BJP. "You cannot kill an ideology by bringing down statues."The BJP won the Tripura elections forming a majority government by ending the 25-year-old Left rule in the state and also became a key ally in the Nagaland government winning 12 seats out of the 20 it contested.