Tripura Governor returns to state capital as leave 'cancelled'

Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy on Friday returned to the state capital from Kolkata after his 42-day leave for visiting the US was cancelled and he was directed to return to Agartala at once, a Raj Bhavan official said.

After his leave was sanctioned by the President, Governor Roy along with his wife Anuradha Roy had left for Kolkata on Sunday en route to the US.

The PMO (Prime Minister's Office) cancelled his leave and foreign trip on Wednesday and asked him to return to Agartala at once, the official added on the condition of anonymity.

Saying that he was "unaware" about the reason for the leave cancellation, the official said: "The Governor and his wife returned to Agartala on Friday afternoon. After his leave was sanctioned, the Governor had obtained the US visa for himself and his wife."

Roy said he was keen to go to the US to meet his two daughters and sons-in-law but refused to comment on the cancellation of leave.

Local media said the cacellation had come in the wake of political developments that culminated in the killing of local television journalist Shantanu Bhowmik, 28, on September 20 at Mandai in western Tripura by activists of an opposition tribal party.

Tripura Health and Public Works Department Minister Badal Choudhury said the state government was "not aware" about the cancellation of leave.

While ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders did not throw any light on the development, opposition Congress criticised the central government.

"The sudden cancellation of the Governor's leave and US visit is unprecedented and not above suspicion. The Centre's indecision has generated much speculation before Tripura assembly elections," Tripura Congress Vice President Tapas Dey told the media.

"Roy is more of a RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) 'pracharak' than a Governor. He will likely play a crucial role in Tripura in the run-up to the assembly elections," he added. The assembly elections are due in February 2018.

Roy, a former BJP West Bengal unit President, took over as the 16th Governor of Left-ruled Tripura on May 20, 2015.

--IANS

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