Congress leader and former MP Sushmita Dev served her resignation from the party saying she is "beginning a new chapter of public service". The Assam politician’s resignation took many of her colleagues by surprise, while it is expected that she would join the Trinamool Congress of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In her letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Ms Dev said, "I cherish my three-decade-long association with the Indian National Congress. May I take this opportunity to thank the party, all its leaders, members and workers who have been my memorable journey? Madam, I thank you personally for your guidance and the opportunities you gave me. I value the enriching experience.”
Changing her Twitter bio "former Member of Indian National Congress and Mahila Congress" giving the first indication that she had quit the party.
The party has refused her exit and even the resignation letter despite it being surfacing on social media.
“I tried speaking with Sushmita Dev, her phone was off. She was a dedicated Congress worker and perhaps is, even today. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has not received any letter from her. She's mature enough to take her decisions, I can't comment until I speak with her,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told the media.
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Sushmita Dev heads the Congress's women's wing, the All India Mahila Congress, will possibly meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, in Kolkata on Monday.
A source from the TMC said, “She will be the face of the Trinamool in Assam if she joins.”
The Congress had in March this year denied reports claiming that Sushmita Dev is resigning from the party over seat-sharing in the Assam Assembly polls.
Following the development, senior Congress leader Kail Sibal on Twitter said, "Sushmita Dev resigns from the primary membership of our party. While young leaders leave, we ‘oldies’ are blamed for our efforts to strengthen it. The party moves on with: Eyes Wide Shut."
Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Bhupen Bora has said that he has no idea about Sushmita’s resignation.
Sources suggest that Ms Dev has been upset with leadership for some months, giving Congress’s alliance with the AIUDF in the April-May Assam election. Further state Congress leadership choice of election candidates had also added to her disagreement with the party. Dev in March had almost quit the party, however, was convinced by Gandhi to stay, the sources said.
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Daughter of a powerful Bengali leader and Assam Congress stalwart - Santosh Mohan Dev, Sushmita Dev earlier had been an MP from Silchar in Assam which previously had been a stronghold of her father. Her family served Congress for four generations.
The sources say that Dev has also been on bad terms with the party on the CAA or Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register for Citizens (NRC), sources say, as the Barak valley is strongly dominated by Hindu Bengalis where she has been a top leader and the party went against its stand.