In a jolt to Assam Congress, senior leader Sushmita Dev has quit the party on Monday, after being unhappy with the party’s performance in Assam polls.
In a jolt to Assam Congress, senior leader Sushmita Dev has quit the party on Monday, after being unhappy with the party’s performance in Assam polls. Dev, in her resignation letter, has thanked all the leaders for the opportunity, seeking their blessings as she begins a ‘new chapter in public service’. Dev has already changed her Twitter bio to former Mahila Congress president, a former member of Congress.
Sushmita Dev quits Congress
Earlier in March, ahead of the polls, speculations had arisen that Dev had allegedly sent her resignation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Refuting Sushmita Dev’s exit, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said, “She is very much with us. She is a very indispensable part of Congress. She is a very respected leader of our party.” Moreover, the party’s media department too added that Dev had not resigned from the party. Dev was allegedly unhappy with the seat-sharing formula with AIUDF, as per sources.
Her exit comes months after Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi’s exit, who has now joined BJP. Handing over his resignation to the Speaker, he alleged that he had lost faith in Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and the party’s reluctance to give priority to young leaders. Kurmi claimed that Congress shouldn’t have forged an alliance with AIUDF and paid for it in the polls.
Congress’ Assam poll campaign and drubbing
The Congress formed a broad-based alliance with AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), Bodoland Democratic Front (BDF) and Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) to stop the he BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for 126-member Assam house. CPI(ML) will contest alone, but support the ‘Mahajot’ alliance and RJD’s Tejashwi has assured to campaign for the alliance. With Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi campaigning in Assam, the party promised five guarantees – Law against CAA, 5 lakh govt jobs, Rs.365 daily wages to tea garden workers, Rs.2000/month to housewives, and the 200 units of free electricity to each household.
But to no avail, as the Congress was wiped out by the BJP led by Congress-turned-BJP minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The NEDA convenor led the BJP to victory, wooing women voters by promising to waive off small loans and not mentioning any implementation of CAA – which had been the main poll plank of the Congress. BJP won 60 seats while its alliance partners AGP got nine seats and UPPL got 6 seats, while Congress failed miserably, winning 29 seats while its Mahajot alliance partners won – AIUDF (16), BPF (4) and CPM (1). Sarma was rewarded as the BJP chose him as their CM, replacing Sarbananda Sonowal.
