Guwahati, June 11: Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and ex-Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev arrived in Assam on Thursday and said her decision to quit the party was influenced by uncertainty over TMC’s future outside West Bengal and the BJP’s development-driven political success in Assam.
Addressing reporters, Dev said she believed it was inappropriate to retain a Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha seat obtained through a political party after leaving it. She clarified that her exit was not linked to TMC’s electoral defeat in West Bengal but stemmed from concerns about developments within the party following the election.
“After seeing the situation within the party, I became confused about its functioning and how it plans to expand beyond Bengal. Ultimately, my political future is in Assam, particularly in Silchar and the Barak Valley. Looking at the present political scenario, I felt continuing in TMC would not be beneficial for me,” she said.
Dev, however, refrained from criticising TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, saying she stood by her when she faced opposition within the Congress. She also defended her role in building the party in Assam, claiming that TMC had secured its first electoral victory in the state during her leadership.
Highlighting the BJP’s electoral dominance in Assam, Dev said the party’s landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections reflected public support for its development agenda.
“We cannot only talk about the Bengal elections. BJP won 102 seats in Assam, a historic achievement. The party secured large margins across Upper Assam and other regions. After analysing the results, I concluded that BJP’s focus on development and infrastructure was a key factor behind its success,” she said.
The former Congress leader also acknowledged infrastructure improvements in the Barak Valley, comparing current development with projects undertaken during the tenures of former Chief Ministers Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, when her father, Santosh Mohan Dev, served as a Union minister.
“Significant development has taken place in the Barak Valley over the last 15 years. Infrastructure projects, including the upcoming flyover at Tarapur, are changing the region. Across the Northeast, development has accelerated under the BJP,” she said.
Dev also revealed that after resigning from TMC, she met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi and expressed her desire to work for the people of the Barak Valley.
“I told him that I want to serve the people of Barak Valley and sought his guidance. He expressed willingness to work with me in the future for the development of Assam,” she said.
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