Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Trinamool Congress and Rajya Sabha, citing personal and political reasons to work in Assam. Amid speculation of her joining the BJP, she met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma but has not confirmed her next move.
Following her resignation from Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Rajya Sabha, Sushmita Dev on Wednesday said that she wants to work in Assam now.
Adding to the TMC's troubles, Sushmita Dev had resigned from the party and is speculated to join the BJP. She met Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma in the national capital.
Dev Cites 'Political and Personal Reasons'
Describing the reason behind her decision to quit TMC, she said, "I had political and personal reasons to do this. In an independent country, a politician can make any decision in their political life. I express gratitude towards the people of Bengal, but I have to work in Assam. Looking at this, I have taken this decision."
When asked about switching to the BJP, she refuted the allegations of opportunism. "BJP and Congress are national parties, but currently, I am not in any party. How can I decide which party I will go to? It will be the decision of the parties. Today, if you are commenting on someone, you might be in the same situation later. There is nothing as opportunistic in politics," Sushmita Dev said.
Dev was earlier with the Congress before switching to the TMC. Her father, the late Santosh Mohan Dev, was a Union Minister in the UPA-1 government.
TMC Faces Internal Rift Post-Election Loss
This comes amid an internal rift within the party and a series of resignations after the Legislative Assembly election loss. Earlier on June 8, Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned as a member of the Upper House of Parliament and from the primary membership of the TMC.
In his resignation, Ray slammed the TMC over its massive defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. He termed the verdict as an outcome of the "15-year anarchical rule" of the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
The series of resignations comes amidst the ongoing speculations of a split in the TMC, with about 20 Lok Sabha MPs rebelling.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)