Biplab Kumar Deb: Transformative Leadership in a Federal Context - A Multi-theoretical Analysis of an Emerging Political Visionary
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/sjmars.4.2.9Keywords:
Biplab Kumar Deb, Transformative Federal Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Adaptive Leadership, Policy Entrepreneurship, Federal Systems, Indian Politics, Governance Innovation, Regional DevelopmentAbstract
This comprehensive study examines the leadership trajectory and accomplishments of Biplab Kumar Deb, whose remarkable journey from a refugee background to becoming Chief Minister of Tripura and subsequently a Member of Parliament exemplifies transformative leadership in India's federal system. Through the application of multiple theoretical frameworks, including the revolutionary Transformative Federal Leadership (TFL) framework, this paper analyzes Deb's leadership across seven critical dimensions: transformational capacity, adaptive capacity, policy entrepreneurship, institutional development, collaborative governance, capability expansion, and conflict transformation. The analysis reveals his exceptional ability to orchestrate political change, implement development initiatives, and navigate complex intergovernmental relations while maintaining public trust. His leadership, characterized by vision articulation, grassroots connection, policy innovation, and institutional reform, demonstrates significant potential for expanded national roles. This paper contributes to leadership scholarship by illustrating how integrated theoretical frameworks can provide nuanced insights into political leadership effectiveness within complex federal contexts.
References
[1] Alkire, S. (2005). Valuing freedoms: Sen's capability approach and poverty reduction. Oxford University Press.
[2] Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2023). Collaborative governance in theory and practice. Oxford University Press.
[3] Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315-338.
[4] Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Weber, T. J. (2019). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 421-449.
[5] Bakvis, H., & Baier, G. (2023). Federalism and leadership: Comparative perspectives. Oxford University Press.
[6] Bakvis, H., & Brown, D. (2022). Federal transitions: The making of national leaders. University of Toronto Press.
[7] Baldini, G., & Bressanelli, E. (2022). Regional leadership and national politics in Italy. Routledge.
[8] Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2020). Transformational leadership in developing contexts (3rd ed.). Psychology Press.
[9] Blondel, J., & Müller-Rommel, F. (2023). Political leadership and democratic transitions. Palgrave Macmillan.
[10] Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2018). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(2), 201-212.
[11] Burns, J. M. (2023). Leadership standards in democratic governance. Harvard University Press.
[12] Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. N. (2012). Charismatic leadership in organizations. SAGE Publications.
[13] Crosby, B. C., & Bryson, J. M. (2023). Integrative leadership: Creating the conditions for cross-sector innovation. Stanford University Press.
[14] Deneulin, S., & McGregor, J. A. (2010). The capability approach and the politics of a social conception of wellbeing. European Journal of Social Theory, 13(4), 501-519.
[15] Desai, S. (2023). Manohar Parrikar: Leadership in transition. Oxford University Press India.
[16] Dickson, M. W., Castano, N., Magomaeva, A., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2022). Conceptualizing leadership across cultures. Journal of World Business, 57(3), 101278.
[17] Dinh, J. E., Lord, R. G., Gardner, W. L., Meuser, J. D., Liden, R. C., & Hu, J. (2014). Leadership theory and research in the new millennium: Current theoretical trends and changing perspectives. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), 36-62.
[18] Eisenstadt, S. N. (2023). Multiple modernities: A comparative perspective. Routledge.
[19] Elazar, D. J. (2018). Exploring federalism. University of Alabama Press.
[20] Elazar, D. J. (2023). Federal systems: Leadership dynamics and democratic governance. Cambridge University Press.
[21] Elkins, D. J., & Simeon, R. (2019). Cultural leadership and national identity. McGill-Queen's University Press.
[22] Emerson, K., & Nabatchi, T. (2015). Collaborative governance regimes. Georgetown University Press.
[23] Fischer, F., & Gottweis, H. (2023). The argumentative turn in policy analysis and planning: Discursive institutionalization. Duke University Press.
[24] Gardner, W. L., Karam, E. P., Alvesson, M., & Einola, K. (2021). Authentic leadership theory: The case for and against. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(6), 101495.
[25] George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A. N., & Mayer, D. (2007). Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 129-138.
[26] Gronn, P. (2015). The view from inside leadership configurations. Human Relations, 68(4), 545-560.
[27] Hamilton, A., & Chernow, R. (2023). Federal leadership depth: Building governance capabilities across systems. Harvard University Press.
[28] Hannah, S. T., Sumanth, J. J., Lester, P., & Cavarretta, F. (2019). Debunking the false dichotomy of leadership idealism and pragmatism: Critical evaluation and support of newer genre leadership theories. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(5), 598-621.
[29] Hargrove, E. C., & Owens, J. E. (2023). Implementation-focused leadership: From opposition to government. Johns Hopkins University Press.
[30] Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2023). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press.
[31] Hogg, M. A. (2021). Social identity theory of leadership. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 8, 269-293.
[32] Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2016). Community, scale, and regional governance: A postfunctionalist theory of governance, Volume II. Oxford University Press.
[33] Hooghe, L., Marks, G., & Schakel, A. H. (2021). Multilevel governance and leadership networks. Oxford University Press.
[34] House, R. J., Dorfman, P. W., Javidan, M., Hanges, P. J., & Sully de Luque, M. F. (2020). Strategic leadership across cultures: The GLOBE study of CEO leadership behavior and effectiveness in 24 countries. SAGE Publications.
[35] Indian Express. (2022, May 15). Fast rise, hard fall: The story of Biplab Kumar Deb. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/fast-rise-hard-fall-the-story-of-biplab-kumar-deb-7917712/
[36] Indian Express. (2022, September 9). Former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb made Haryana in-charge by BJP. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/india/tripura-biplab-kumar-deb-up-in-charge-bjp-8141627/
[37] Jaffrelot, C. (2022). Modi's India: Hindu nationalism and the rise of ethnic democracy. Princeton University Press.
[38] Kingdon, J. W. (2023). Agendas, alternatives, and policy innovation in developing contexts (Updated 3rd ed.). Longman.
[39] Klijn, E. H., & Koppenjan, J. (2016). Governance networks in the public sector. Routledge.
[40] Lederach, J. P. (2023). Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. United States Institute of Peace Press.
[41] Lijphart, A. (2023). Patterns of democracy and coalition leadership. Yale University Press.
[42] Mac Ginty, R. (2024). International peacebuilding and local resistance: Hybrid forms of peace. Palgrave Macmillan.
[43] Mahoney, J., & Thelen, K. (2020). Adaptive leadership under constraints: Institutional change in complex environments. Cambridge University Press.
[44] Mainwaring, S., & Scully, T. R. (2023). Party systems in transition: Institutional development and democratic consolidation. Cambridge University Press.
[45] Maney, G. M., Ibrahim, Y., Higgins, G. I., & Herzog, H. (2021). Biographical authority and leadership legitimacy. Oxford University Press.
[46] Mansell, R., & Wehn, U. (2023). Knowledge societies: Digital transformation and sustainable development. Oxford University Press.
[47] McCarthy, J. D., & Zald, M. N. (1977). Resource mobilization and social movements: A partial theory. American Journal of Sociology, 82(6), 1212-1241.
[48] Mietzner, M. (2020). Reinventing Asian populism: Jokowi's rise, democracy, and political contestation in Indonesia. East-West Center.
[49] Mintrom, M., & Norman, P. (2009). Policy entrepreneurship and policy change. Policy Studies Journal, 37(4), 649-667.
[50] Oneindia. (2024, March 29). Biplab Kumar Deb: Age, Biography, Education, Wife. Retrieved from https://www.oneindia.com/politicians/biplab-kumar-deb-20949.html
[51] Ospina, S. M., & Foldy, E. G. (2010). Building bridges from the margins: The work of leadership in social change organizations. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(2), 292-307.
[52] Ostrom, E. (2021). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press.
[53] Pallathadka, H., & Deb Roy, P. (2025). Transformative Federal Leadership: A Revolutionary Integrated Framework Redefining Governance Excellence in Complex Federal Systems. Unpublished manuscript, Manipur International University, Imphal, India.
[54] Parliament of India. (n.d.). Shri Biplab Kumar Deb. Retrieved from https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5671?from=members
[55] Peters, B. G. (2022). Institutional discipline and public management reform. Cambridge University Press.
[56] Peters, B. G., & Pierre, J. (2016). Comparative governance: Rediscovering the functional dimension of governing. Cambridge University Press.
[57] Pierson, P. (2004). Politics in time: History, institutions, and social analysis. Princeton University Press.
[58] Pike, A., Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (2022). Local and regional development: Scalar approaches and sustainable outcomes. Routledge.
[59] Rate Indian Politician. (2024, November 19). Rate BIPLAB KUMAR DEB - R.I.P-RATE NETA on his performance. Retrieved from https://rateindianpolitician.in/politicians/biplab-kumar-deb/
[60] Resick, C. J., Martin, G. S., Keating, M. A., Dickson, M. W., Kwan, H. K., & Peng, C. (2023). What we know about ethical leadership across cultures: A meta-analytic investigation. Journal of International Business Studies, 54(1), 144-181.
[61] Rhodes, R. A. W., & 't Hart, P. (Eds.). (2014). The Oxford handbook of political leadership. Oxford University Press.
[62] Riker, W. H. (2023). Federalism and multilevel legitimation capacity. Oxford University Press.
[63] Scott, W. R. (2023). Institutions and organizations: Normative institutionalization in complex settings. SAGE Publications.
[64] Sen, A. (2022). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press.
[65] Shamir, B., & Eilam, G. (2005). "What's your story?" A life-stories approach to authentic leadership development. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 395-417.
[66] Spillane, J. P. (2019). Distributed leadership. Jossey-Bass.
[67] Stars Unfolded. (2024, June 12). Biplab Kumar Deb Age, Wife, Caste, Family, Biography. Retrieved from https://starsunfolded.com/biplab-kumar-deb/
[68] Stepan, A., Linz, J. J., & Yadav, Y. (2022). Crafting state-nations: Accommodating diversity in asymmetric federalism. Johns Hopkins University Press.
[69] Swarajya. (2024, April 3). BJP's Biplab Deb Is Assured Of Victory, But He Has Embraced A New Challenge In Tripura. Retrieved from https://swarajyamag.com/north-east/bjps-biplab-deb-is-assured-of-victory-but-he-has-embraced-a-new-challenge-in-tripura
[70] Tarrow, S. G. (1994). Power in movement: Social movements and contentious politics. Cambridge University Press.
[71] Taylor, C. (2023). Modern social imaginaries and shared understandings. Duke University Press.
[72] The Economic Times. (2018, March 9). Biplab Kumar Deb--RSS member to Tripura CM. Retrieved from https://economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/biplab-kumar-deb-rss-member-to-tripura-cm/articleshow/63231111.cms
[73] Tripura Legislative Assembly. (n.d.). Biplab Kumar Deb. Retrieved from https://tripuraassembly.nic.in/chiefminister.html
[74] Uhl-Bien, M., & Marion, R. (2021). Complexity leadership theory: Shifting leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era. Oxford University Press.
[75] Van Wart, M. (2013). Lessons from leadership theory and the contemporary challenges of leaders. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 553-565.
[76] Zahariadis, N. (2014). Ambiguity and multiple streams. In P. A. Sabatier & C. M. Weible (Eds.), Theories of the policy process (3rd ed., pp. 25-58). Westview Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Stallion Journal for Multidisciplinary Associated Research Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
10.55544/sjmars
editor@sjmars.com | 
+91-8874396939
