Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev quits party, likely to join TMC

In a letter to Sonia Gandhi on Monday, she resigned from the primary membership of Congress and personally thanked the party chief for her guidance

President of All India Mahila Congress and former Lok Sabha member from Silchar in Assam, Sushmita Dev quits Congress and sought Sonia Gandhi's good wishes for "a new chapter" of public service.

Sushmita is likely to join the Trinamool Congress. Sources told DH that she will likely meet Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday.

"She may be given an important role in Tripura," the source said.

In a letter to Sonia Gandhi on Monday, Sishmita resigned from the primary membership of Congress and personally thanked the party chief for her guidance and the opportunities. Congress leaders in Assam, however, said they were still unaware of the development.

She changed her Twitter bio to "former member of Indian National Congress".

"I cherish my three-decades-long association with Indian National Congress. May I take this opportunity to thank the party, all its leaders, workers who have been a part of my memorable journey," the letter said.

Personally thanking Sonia for the guidance and opportunities, Dev further wrote, "I hope I have your good wishes as I begin a new chapter in my life of public service."

Daughter of former union minister Santosh Mohan Dev, Sushmita was elected to Lok Sabha from her father's constituency Silchar in 2014. But in 2019, she lost to Rajdip Roy of BJP.

She was later made president of the All India Mahila Congress. She, along with Gaurav Gogoi, are the two major voices of Congress from Assam in New Delhi.

Sushmita had reportedly offered to resign just before the Assembly elections in Assam in March-April as she was unhappy with the seat-sharing arrangement with Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF. She was, however, convinced to stay by Sonia Gandhi then.