Agartala, Jan 1: Senior Minister and President of the BJP’s ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) Narendra Chandra Debbarma died here on Sunday following prolonged illness, family and hospital sources said. He was 80.

Debbarma, who held the Revenue and Forest Departments, is survived by four sons, three daughters and wife.

The veteran tribal leader suffered from a severe brain stroke on December 30 and was admitted to the government-run Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital, where he breathed his last.

Chief Minister Manik Saha and host of leaders condoled the death.

Before joining politics, Debbarma was the Station Director of the All India Radio for many years.

He played a very significant role in installing the BJP-IPFT alliance government in March 2018 defeating the CPI-M led Left Front.