Manik Sarkar Biography

Manik Sarkar is an Indian Communist politician. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tripura for the third consecutive term in March 2008. He first became the Chief Minister of the eastern state in 1998. He is the longest serving Chief Minister of Tripura.

He belongs to the Communist party of India (Marxist) {CPM} and is a member of its 15 member Politburo. He was elected to the state Legislative Assembly from Dhanpur in West Tripura. Tripura is the only state in India where the CPM led Left Front is in power.

In the 2013 assembly elections, Manik Sarkar became the chief minister of Tripura for the consecutive fourth time.

Background

Manik Sarkar was born on January 22, 1949 in Radhakishorepur in Tripura. He is known for his personal integrity and honesty, declared that he had no personal assets when he submitted his nominations for the Assembly elections in 2008.

According to the affidavit that he submitted along with his nomination papers, he owns no land, vehicle, or any movable or immovable assets. He is possibly the only major Indian politician who survives on the monthly salary he receives as Chief Minister.

He is a non smoker and a teetotaler. His wife Panchali Bhattacharjee is an officer of the Central Social Welfare Board under the Central government.

Political career

He joined politics in 1967 as a youth leader. Communist party of India (CPM) was then the Opposition party in the state and Manik Sarkar participated in the food movement organized by the CPM. He joined the CPM in 1968.

He first contested the Assembly elections in 1981 and won a by-election from Krishnanagar constituency. In the Legislative Assembly, he was appointed the Chief Whip of the ruling CPM. In 1983, he was re-elected to the Assembly from Krishnanagar.

In 1998, Manik Sarkar was elected from Dhanpur constituency. He became the Chief Minister of the State for his first term. He was also elected to the CPM Politburo.

In 2008 he contested the Assembly and led his party to a stunning victory, crushing the Congress party in the state. The Communist Party of India led Left Front won 49 seats out of the 60 Assembly seats. Communist Party (Marxist) alone won 46. Congress managed 11. Manik Sarkar became the Chief Minister of Tripura for the third time on March 11, 2008.

Manik Sarkar donates all his Chief Minister salary and earnings to his party, which pays him back a sum of 5,000 rupees as subsistence stipend. His affidavit in the 2013 Tripura Assembly elections discovered that fact that he may be the poorest of all Chief Ministers in India.

In 2013, the Tripura assembly elections saw Communist Party of India (Marxist) retain control for the fifth consecutive term, making Manik Sarkar the chief minister of Tripura for the fourth consecutive time.