Trinamool Congress nominates Sushmita Dev to Rajya Sabha

Sushmita Dev, the former Assam MP, had joined the TMC led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 16.

Image courtesy: ANI

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress on Tuesday (September 14) nominated Sushmita Dev to Rajya Sabha. The former Assam MP, who resigned as All India Mahila Congress chief on August 16, had joined the TMC led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Giving information about Sushmita Dev's nomination to the Upper House, the All India Trinamool Congress tweeted, "We are extremely pleased to nominate @SushmitaDevAITC to the Upper House of the Parliament. @MamataOfficial's vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics shall help our society to achieve much more!"

We are extremely pleased to nominate @SushmitaDevAITC to the Upper House of the Parliament.@MamataOfficial's vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics shall help our society to achieve much more!

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) September 14, 2021

After the TMC's announcement, Dev told ANI, "I am grateful to my leader Mamata di for giving me the opportunity to file my nomination and contest Rajya Sabha election. This once again proves Trinamool Congress' vision and conviction of more women representation in Parliament."  

Sushmita Dev had lost her Silchar Lok Sabha constituency to BJP's Rajdeep Roy in the 2019 General Election. 

In her letter to Sonia Gandhi, she had written that she was beginning a "new chapter in my life of public service", adding "I cherish my three-decade-long association with the Indian National Congress...I hope I have your good wishes as I begin a new chapter in my life of public service." 

Sushmita Dev had offered no reason for quitting the party.  A day after joining the Trinamool Congress, she told the media that her joining the TMC is "unconditional" and she would take any responsibility given to her by the party president.

"I don't think I have compromised my ideology in joining the TMC. My joining the TMC is unconditional and I will take any responsibility given to me by Mamata Banerjee," she had told reporters.

 She had also added, "In my 30 years in politics, I haven't demanded anything from the Congress high command."