Tripura CPI-M State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury Becomes First Tribal Leader of India to Be Inducted Into CPI-M Politburo

Jitendra Chaudhury is the third leader from Tripura to obtain this position, after former Chief Ministers Nripen Chakraborty and Manik Sarkar.

Tripura’s Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has been inducted into the CPI(M)’s highest body politburo, becoming the first tribal leader in the country to hold the post.

The announcement came during the party’s 24th Congress held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

On his return to Agartala on Monday late evening, Chaudhury addressed the media at the MBB Airport, calling his elevation a “historic responsibility.” He pledged to uphold the party’s ideological legacy and serve with integrity.

“This is not just a personal achievement, but a recognition of the role of tribal communities in India’s democratic and ideological struggle,” said Chaudhury, emphasizing the significance of the moment in both social and political terms.

He expressed deep concern over what he described as the “steady erosion of political ethics and values” in the current political climate. “The decline of ideological commitment and moral responsibility in politics—both at the national level and in Tripura—is alarming,” he said.

“Politics should be about safeguarding the Constitution and improving the people’s quality of life. Sadly, today’s ruling dispensations are moving in the opposite direction.”

Chaudhury affirmed that in his new role he would strive harder to restore the faith of people in progressive politics and resist forces that are “undermining democratic principles.”

Jitendra Chaudhury is the third leader from Tripura to obtain this position, after former Chief Ministers Nripen Chakraborty and Manik Sarkar.

His political journey began in 1971 when he joined the Students’ Federation of India (SFI). He became a full-time member of the CPI(M) in 1981, and by 1988, he was part of the party’s state committee.

Chaudhury was elected to the Tripura Assembly in 1993 and served as a minister for 4 terms, handling departments like rural development, forest, and IT. He also became a Member of Parliament in 2014 from East Tripura.

After the death of Goutam Das, he took charge as the state secretary of CPI(M) in 2021.

He is also president of Tripura Rajya Gana Mukti Parishad, the tribal wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Also Read: “Though I am a political leader, I am also a human being”: Tripura CM Manik Saha

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