Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: Tapas Dey is dead. The veteran politician and former Congress MLA passed away at 1:45 am Friday at GBP Hospital in Agartala following a long illness. He was 84. His death leaves a void in the state’s political fabric.
Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha led the tributes. He said, "The demise of Tapas Dey is deeply saddening. He was not only a seasoned politician but also a distinguished social worker whose contributions to Tripura’s political and social life will be remembered for generations."
Dey’s life was defined by the state’s history. He arrived in 1965 as a refugee from East Pakistan and jumped into student politics at Tripura Polytechnic and Ram Thakur College. He served as General Secretary there. By 1972, he held the Shalgara Assembly seat as one of the youngest MLAs in Tripura. His win was broadcast over All India Radio.
He remained a loyal Congress member for decades, working closely with Priyadas Chakraborty. Later, he joined the Tripura Democratic Front and finally Tipra Motha. He remained active until the end. At 81, he ran as a Tipra Motha candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Former Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma called Dey his first political guide. "Tapas Babu is no more. Life can be cruel beyond imagination. He was my first mentor in politics, and I will always cherish his guidance," Pradyot said. He instructed party workers to fly flags at half-mast and observe a minute of silence.
Other leaders, including Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder, and former Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik, offered condolences. Pradyot’s mother, Rajmata Bibhu Devi, also expressed her sorrow.
Legislators honored Dey on Saturday at the Tripura Legislative Assembly. Speaker Rampada Jamatia and Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha laid flowers. Mourners then moved his body to the Agartala Press Club. His final journey ended at the Rajbari, where Tipra Motha CEM Runiel Debbarma and party supporters paid their final respects.
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