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🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

TMC has no future in Assam; Bengal loss sealed my exit: Sushmita Dev

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Outcome reported
  • Sushmita Dev resigned from India's Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Rajya Sabha, citing the party's lack of future in Assam.
  • Dev stated her political future lies in Assam, and the Bengal election results convinced her to leave.
  • She denied facing threats or pressure from the BJP, asserting her decision was based on the TMC's political prospects in Assam.

Sushmita Dev has resigned from India's Trinamool Congress (TMC) and her seat in the Rajya Sabha, citing a lack of future for the party in Assam. Dev, whose political career is primarily based in Assam, stated that the recent election mandate in West Bengal solidified her belief that the TMC's prospects in her home state were dim.

My politics is primarily in Assam, whereas I did have the responsibility to work for the organisation in Tripura. So my future, if any, in politics has to be in Assam.

— Sushmita DevDev explaining her focus on Assam and the rationale behind her resignation.

"My politics is primarily in Assam, whereas I did have the responsibility to work for the organisation in Tripura. So my future, if any, in politics has to be in Assam," Dev explained in an interview with Hindustan Times. She added that the events following May 4th gave her "every reason to believe that I may not have a future there and perhaps giving up the Rajya Sabha seat and the party membership is a wise decision."

But I think what unfolded after May 4 gave me every reason to believe that I may not have a future there and perhaps giving up the Rajya Sabha seat and the party membership is a wise decision.

— Sushmita DevDev elaborating on the specific timing and reasons for her departure from the TMC.

Dev clarified that her decision was not influenced by any threats or pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She recounted resigning via WhatsApp around 10:15 AM and submitting her resignation to the Vice-President shortly after. "No, there’s no question of that. Why would I be threatened? Nobody threatened me," she asserted.

No, there’s no question of that. Why would I be threatened? Nobody threatened me.

— Sushmita DevDev denying any BJP involvement or threats leading to her resignation.

While Dev acknowledged that "everybody is upset with me," she defended her tenure, stating she improved the TMC's position in Assam, even winning a seat without a party president in the state. She expressed limited engagement with TMC's national leadership, particularly Abhishek Banerjee, focusing mainly on Assam-specific responsibilities. Dev admitted she is not deeply involved in Bengal's internal politics and therefore cannot comment on specific dynamics there.

I have actually brought the party to a better position in Assam. I won a seat (Mandia) against all odds, without even a party president.

— Sushmita DevDev defending her contributions to the TMC in Assam.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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