Sushmita Dev met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 10, 2024 [1], following her resignation from the Trinamool Congress.
The meeting suggests a potential realignment of political power in the region. Dev previously served as a Rajya Sabha MP for the Trinamool Congress [2], and her departure from the party creates a vacancy and a shift in regional representation.
Dev said the encounter was a courtesy visit [3]. The meeting took place in New Delhi, though some reports associated with the event mentioned Guwahati [1, 2]. This interaction follows her decision to step down from both her party affiliation and her legislative seat [2].
Regarding her current status, Dev said, "I am on a brief sabbatical before deciding my next political move" [3]. She did not confirm an immediate plan to join another political organization during the meeting.
Chief Minister Sarma did not explicitly confirm a recruitment effort during the visit. However, in separate remarks, Sarma said, "Bad days for…(You know who)" [4]. This cryptic comment has been interpreted by observers as a signal of shifting fortunes for political opponents.
The timing of the resignation and the subsequent meeting has led to widespread speculation that Dev may align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) [1]. While the visit was labeled as a courtesy call, the political climate in Assam often sees high-profile shifts between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
“"It was a courtesy visit."”
The departure of a high-profile figure like Sushmita Dev from the Trinamool Congress and her immediate engagement with the BJP-led government in Assam indicates a weakening of the opposition's grip on key regional leaders. If Dev officially joins the BJP, it would signal a continued consolidation of power by the ruling party in the northeast, further isolating the Trinamool Congress in its efforts to expand beyond West Bengal.
