Switch To BJP On Cards? After Quitting TMC, Sushmita Dev Breaks Silence On Meeting Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

New Delhi: Moments after sending shockwaves through political corridors by resigning from the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and vacating her Rajya Sabha seat, prominent leader Sushmita Dev broke her silence regarding her next political move.

Speculation intensified after photos surfaced of Dev meeting with Assam Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma in Delhi. 

Addressing the media, the former parliamentarian sought to downplay the meeting, framing it strictly as a personal encounter.

"Today, I am a free woman. I have known Himanta da for long now; I paid a courtesy visit to him," Dev told reporters in New Delhi, acknowledging her deep-rooted connection with the Assam Chief Minister.

Stepping Off 'Two Boats'

While her meeting with a top BJP leader has sparked intense speculation about a potential shift to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Dev remained tight-lipped about her immediate plans.  She emphasised that her exit was a calculated decision to avoid political conflict.

"I have left Trinamool Congress. It is a long story why I left TMC," Dev stated. “I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. I will not comment on Mamata Didi.”

Dev, a powerful political voice from Assam's Barak Valley and the daughter of veteran leader Santosh Mohan Dev, was originally brought into the TMC in 2021 to spearhead the party’s expansion in the Northeast. Her departure leaves a major leadership vacuum in the region.

Distancing herself from the ongoing internal friction currently gripping the TMC in its home state, she clarified her boundaries: "I am not privy to who is doing what; also, I am not directly involved in Bengal politics, as I am from Assam."

A Spiralling Crisis for TMC

Dev’s resignation marks the second high-profile parliamentary exit for the TMC within a single week, following veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray's resignation from the Upper House. 

The twin exits come following a wider post-poll organisational crisis for party chief Mamata Banerjee, with a rebel faction of Lok Sabha MPs also reportedly seeking separate seating arrangements.

While Dev maintains her meeting with Sarma was merely a courtesy call, observers note that in the changing political landscape, courtesy visits often serve as the first step toward new political alignments.

Also Read: Another Setback For Mamata: TMC's Sushmita Dev Resigns As Rajya Sabha MP