Tripura Lok SabhaMP Pratima Bhowmik is among the 16 first-time members ofParliamentto take oath as a minister in theUnion Council of Ministers.
ABJPmember since 1991, Bhowmiks induction is a clear indication that BJP is preparing to retain the state it won for the first time in 2018, given that Chief Minister Biplab Deb is facing some dissent from within.TMCs victory in Bengal and Mamata Banerjees attempt to revive the partys fortunes in Tripura is seen as threat.
Bhowmik is the second woman from the Northeast to make it to the Union Council of Ministers after Bijaya Chakraborty of Assam who was a minister in theAtal Bihari Vajpayeegovernment.