Former Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Wednesday met Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, hours after she resigned from the Trinamool Congress. Dev, who was the Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal, resigned both from the party and as a Member of Parliament earlier today, in another jolt to the TMC. After her resignation, pictures of her meeting with BJP leader Sarma in Delhi surfaced.
Revealing why she met the Assam CM, Dev, who was also the national spokesperson for TMC, said that she wants to continue her political career in Assam. She added that she had met Sarma after she resigned from the party and as the member of the House.
“When I resigned from the party in the morning, I had to also leave the Rajya Sabha seat also because it had been given by the party. After I resigned from both, I met Himanta, because I want to continue politics in Assam,” she told PTI news agency. Dev further said that her joining any party would be the parties' decision.
“According to my understanding in politics, I want to work in Assam. So I took the decision keeping that in mind. BJP Congress are national parties. I am currently in no party because I have resigned in the morning. So the party I go to is the parties' decision, I can't take it,” she told ANI news agency. Regarding her meeting with Sarma, Dev said she would elaborate on the details “when the time comes.” “I cannot talk about the discussions we had on television. When the right time comes, i will definitely tell you,” the former TMC leader said. Dev had earlier said that she had paid a “courtesy visit” to Himanta, having known him for a long time.
{{/usCountry}}“According to my understanding in politics, I want to work in Assam. So I took the decision keeping that in mind. BJP Congress are national parties. I am currently in no party because I have resigned in the morning. So the party I go to is the parties' decision, I can't take it,” she told ANI news agency. Regarding her meeting with Sarma, Dev said she would elaborate on the details “when the time comes.” “I cannot talk about the discussions we had on television. When the right time comes, i will definitely tell you,” the former TMC leader said. Dev had earlier said that she had paid a “courtesy visit” to Himanta, having known him for a long time.
{{/usCountry}}Dev's resignation is the latest in a series of setbacks that the TMC has faced following its loss in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Earlier this week, veteran TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray had also resigned from the membership of the Upper House, alleging “unbridled corruption” and “anarchical rule”. In Bengal, 58 TMC MLAs have rebelled. Among them, Ritabrata Banerjee staked claim as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. Following this, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh expressed the wish to split away with the support of 19 rebel MPs and support the BJP-led NDA.
'Don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats'
Providing the reason for her resignation from the party, Dev said she did not want to be in “two boats”, but refused to elaborate further, calling it a “long story.”
“I have left Trinamool Congress. It is a long story why I left TMC. I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time,” Dev said, while refusing to say anything about party supremo and former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Dev further said she is a “free woman” now, and expressed gratitude to the people of Bengal.
“I express gratitude to the people of Bengal, while Rajya Sabha is indirect election but still people are electing,” she said.