Sushmita Dev joins All India Trinamool Congress

Former Congress MP and Team Rahul member Sushmita Dev joined the All India Trinamool Congress on Monday in presence of party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien. Dev, the former All India Mahila Congress chief, is daughter of the late Congress stalwart Santosh Mohan Dev.

After resigning from Congress’ primary membership, Dev met Abhishek Banerjee at his South Kolkata office. She was accompanied by O’Brien. Later, they went to the state secretariat Nabanna to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Dev is likely to get charge of Assam and Tripura, where Trinamool is looking to expand its base, the party sources told ET.

A leader of Dev’s stature will be useful to Trinamool because she comes from Bengali-dominated Barak valley in Assam, a political observer told ET. “The party is trying to spread its network across the country, particularly in Assam and Tripura. Dev will help strengthen the party there,” senior party leader Kakoli Ghoshdastidar said.


Pradip Bhattacharya, Congress RS MP from Bengal, said: “Dev joining Trinamool is shocking, unfortunate.”