Sushmita Dev says TMC’s uncertain future in Assam prompted her exit, denies BJP pressure claims

A day after resigning from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and stepping down from the Rajya Sabha, former party leader Sushmita Dev said the party’s declining prospects in Assam and the turmoil engulfing its leadership convinced her that it was time to leave.

In an interview with HT, Dev said her political future has always been tied to Assam and that developments within the TMC following the party’s setback in West Bengal made her question whether she had any future within the organisation.

“My politics is primarily in Assam. Whatever future I have in politics has to be in Assam. What unfolded after May 4 gave me every reason to believe that I may not have a future there, and perhaps giving up the Rajya Sabha seat and party membership was the right decision,” she said.

Asked about the situation inside the TMC, Dev described the party as being in a state of confusion amid a growing internal crisis.

“There is total confusion within the party. You have seen what has happened in the state and what people are saying could happen in the Lok Sabha. In these circumstances, Assam does not feature anywhere,” she said.

While speculation has centered on the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee, Dev declined to directly criticise him, saying her interactions with him were limited and largely focused on Assam politics.

“My engagement with Abhishek Banerjee was restricted to Assam and was very intermittent. I am not deeply involved in Bengal politics and do not know enough about the internal dynamics there to comment on who is responsible for the current situation,” she said.

Dev also refrained from commenting on the role of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, saying she was not closely involved in the party’s affairs in West Bengal.

However, she indicated that the absence of a clear strategy for Assam was a major factor behind her decision. She noted that despite organisational challenges, she had worked to strengthen the party in the state and helped secure a victory in Mandia without even having a state party president in place.

Addressing allegations that opposition leaders are being pressured into joining the BJP through investigations or legal threats, Dev firmly denied facing any such pressure.

“Nobody threatened me. I have no cases. After resigning from the TMC and the Rajya Sabha, I openly met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma because I want to continue working in Assam. There was no coercion involved,” she said.

Dev also dismissed reports that she had been promised a BJP ticket for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, saying her meeting with Sarma was focused on understanding Assam’s political landscape rather than discussing any specific electoral arrangement.

“I had a very good discussion with the chief minister. He understands Assam politics better than anyone else. We will see how things unfold,” she said.