Tripura's ex-CM Manik Sarkar vacates govt residence, moves into CPM office

Manik Sarkar asserted that he would "eat what is cooked in the party office kitchen"

Tripura's outgoing chief minister Manik Sarkar will be on Thursday shifting to his new residence - the CPI(M) state committee office.

Sarkar, who has ruled the state for 20 years, is in the process of checking out of his official residence on Marx-Engels Sarani, about 500 metres from his new home, CPI(M) state party secretary Bijan Dhar told reporters.

"He would be moving in to the party office in a few hours. Sarkar would be living in one room of the party office guest house with his wife Panchali Bhattacharya," he said.

CPI(M) Office Secretary Haripada Das said the veteran leader had asserted that he would "eat what is cooked in the party office kitchen".

"He has already sent packets of books and clothes and some CDs to the party office. Sarkar might shift to a government quarter if he is allocated one by the new government," Das said.

Sarkar's wife had earlier told PTI that she would be donating Marxist literature and books to the party office library and the Birchandra Central library here.

The couple has no children.

The BJP had demolished the Left citadel in the recently concluded Assembly election in Tripura, ending 25 years of uninterrupted rule of the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the 20-year reign of Sarkar.