"Party is above all. I am a loyal worker of the BJP. I hope I have done justice to the responsibilities that were given to me – whether it was BJP state president or Tripura chief minister. I have worked for the overall development of Tripura, and to ensure peace for the people of the state," Deb was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"The 2023 election is coming, and the party wants a responsible organiser to take charge of the affairs here. A government can only be formed if the organisation is strong. After the elections, someone will obviously become the chief minister," he added.
He had gone to New Delhi on Thursday and met Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda to discuss the party's affairs in the northeastern state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislative party will meet at 8 pm to elect the new CM. Union minister Bhupender Yadav and BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde have been appointed as central observers for it.
It is being speculated that Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who is related to the erstwhile Tripura royal family, will take charge as the interim CM. Union minister Pratima Bhowmick is also a contender.
Deb had taken oath as the first BJP chief minister in the state in 2018, ending the 25-year-rule of the Communist Party of India.
