This Is Not the CPIM Era, Muscle Power Will Not Work”: Ratan Lal Nath’s Sharp Warning Sparks Heated Exchanges in Tripura Assembly
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 28, 2026
The second day of the ongoing session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly witnessed repeated verbal clashes between ruling BJP legislators and members of the opposition CPM and Congress, with several contentious exchanges raising questions over the decorum of proceedings inside the House.
The atmosphere turned particularly tense when senior minister Ratan Lal Nath engaged in heated exchanges with Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and other opposition legislators. At one point during the proceedings, Nath was heard telling Chaudhury:
“This is not the CPM era. Muscle power will not work. I will completely rein you in.”
The remark immediately became one of the most striking moments of the day’s proceedings and added to the growing political confrontation between the Treasury Bench and the opposition.
Opposition alleges repeated interruptions
Several Congress and CPM legislators were heard strongly criticising the role of the Treasury Bench, alleging that opposition members were repeatedly being interrupted when they attempted to speak in the Assembly.
According to many opposition MLAs, they were not being allowed to present their views freely and were frequently facing interruptions from the ruling side. They particularly alleged that Nath would stand up and begin speaking when opposition legislators, including senior members, were addressing the House.
The opposition claimed that such repeated interventions were affecting the quality of debate and preventing elected representatives from raising issues before the Assembly in a proper manner.
The second day of the session saw several heated exchanges involving Nath and opposition leaders. Apart from Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Congress legislators Gopal Roy and Sudip Roy Barman were also involved in sharp verbal exchanges during the proceedings.
The repeated confrontations created an increasingly tense atmosphere inside the House, with members from the opposition objecting to what they described as unnecessary interruptions by the Treasury Bench.
The political temperature rose further when Nath directly referred to the CPM’s previous period in government while responding to Chaudhury.
Nath invokes CPM rule
During the confrontation, Nath reportedly accused the previous CPM government of failing to maintain the rule of law in Tripura. His comments were directed at Chaudhury in the context of the opposition’s conduct and objections inside the Assembly.
Nath’s remarks effectively sought to draw a political contrast between the present BJP-led government and the earlier CPM regime. He indicated that the opposition could not expect to conduct itself in the current Assembly in the manner it allegedly did during the CPM’s tenure.
The minister’s statement that “this is not the CPM era” was followed by the warning that “muscle power” would not work and that he would “completely rein in,” making the exchange particularly contentious.
Another concern emerging from the day’s proceedings relates to the live broadcasting of Assembly sessions. With proceedings now being watched directly by members of the public and widely circulated through news and social-media platforms, several observers have expressed concern over the kind of language, gestures and exchanges that sometimes become visible during live broadcasts.
The Assembly is traditionally regarded as the highest forum for democratic debate in the state. Consequently, scenes involving aggressive gestures, personal attacks and heated exchanges between elected representatives can raise concerns about the dignity and decorum of the institution.
Opposition members argued that disagreements between the government and opposition are natural in a democratic legislature, but such differences should be expressed through structured debate rather than repeated interruptions and personal confrontations.
The developments on the second day indicate that the ongoing Assembly session could see further confrontations between the ruling BJP and the CPM-Congress opposition, particularly on issues where the two sides hold sharply different positions.
While the opposition has accused the Treasury Bench of attempting to restrict its voice, the ruling side has repeatedly sought to defend its position by pointing to the conduct of the previous CPM government and challenging opposition claims.
The repeated clashes also underline the increasingly adversarial political relationship between the ruling BJP and the opposition in Tripura.
For viewers following the proceedings through live broadcasts, the exchanges have brought renewed attention to the importance of maintaining parliamentary language and decorum. The Assembly’s proceedings are not only a platform for political contestation but also a public demonstration of how elected representatives conduct democratic debate.
The second day’s proceedings therefore ended with political tensions still running high, as sharp exchanges between the Treasury Bench and opposition legislators once again dominated significant portions of the Assembly’s proceedings.
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