Agartala, April 7, 2025 – In a significant reshuffle within the Communist Party of India (Marxist), veteran leader and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been replaced by Jitendra Chaudhury in the party’s politburo. The decision was announced during the 24th CPI(M) Party Congress held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Manik Sarkar, who served as a politburo member for over two decades, stepped down following the party’s age-limit policy, which mandates retirement from major leadership positions at 75. Sarkar, now 76, has been a prominent figure in Tripura’s political landscape, leading the state as Chief Minister from 1998 to 2018.
Jitendra Chaudhury, the Leader of Opposition in Tripura and CPI(M) State Secretary, becomes the third leader from the northeastern state to join the politburo. Known for his grassroots activism and tribal leadership, Chaudhury has held various ministerial positions in successive Left Front governments and served as a Lok Sabha MP from Tripura East.
The reshuffle also saw the induction of new faces into the CPI(M) central committee, reflecting the party’s efforts to rejuvenate its leadership. Chaudhury’s appointment is expected to strengthen the party’s presence in Tripura and bolster its focus on tribal and rural issues.
