Sudip Roy Burman had surrendered his police protection as a mark of protest. (File)

Highlights Minister Sudip Roy Burman was dropped for "anti-party" activities: Source

Tripura Chief Minister will take charge of PWD, IT and health ministry

Deputy Chief Minister will look after Science, Technology and Environment

Tripura Health Minister and BJP leader Sudip Roy Burman was dropped from the state cabinet on Friday over "anti-party activities", party sources said.

A notification issued by the state government on Friday said Sudip Roy Burman, who held multiple portfolios and had the charge of the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, IT, Science and Technology and Public Work Department, "ceases to be a member of the Council of Ministers".

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb will take charge of PWD, IT ministry and health ministry. Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma will now be the Science, Technology and Environment Minister.

Mr Burman, a popular leader, is the son of former Tripura Chief Minister Samir Ranjan Burman. The 52-year-old had quit Congress two years back and joined the BJP with six Congress legislators. He is the MLA of Agartala (West Tripura) constituency since 1998.

He played an important role in strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) coalition in the state, which wrested power in the Left citadel, Tripura, for the first time in the 2018 state elections. The Left Front had lost for the first time in 25 years.

However, in the last few months, he was being viewed as a rebel within the state cabinet, party sources said. He did not campaign for the BJP in the national elections and was seen instrumental in helping Congress gain ground in Tripura, sources said.

Earlier, in April, Mr Burman had surrendered his police protection as a mark of protest after several reports of attacks on government doctors in the state.