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Silchar, Aug 19: Former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev who recently joined the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), on Thursday said that her joining the AITC is a turning point in the politics of not just Assam but for the whole of North East.
Dev, who reached Silchar amidst a thick gathering of supporters, made it clear that she has joined the AITC with no thirst for acclamation and aspires to play the long game (echoing the popular slogan Khela Hobe) in the political landscape of North East.
"My joining the AITC is absolutely unconditional and I have taken the step cold headed with a vision for long term politics instead of short term goals. I have been a national leader and AITC too is a national party. However, this is a turning point in politics for not only Assam but also for the entire North East," she told reporters.
Asked about whether her decision has injured the legacy of her father and former Union Minister late Santosh Mohan Dev, Sushmita said, " the legacy of Santosh Mohan Dev is laced with many principles and I see no conflict in his legacy and the principles of the AITC led by Mamata Banerjee."
Later, addressing the gathering at Cachar Club, Sushmita said that as per the directions of AITC chairperson Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee party, the party's base at the grassroots in the state and across North East must be strengthened. She would request the party to assign her as booth committee president so that she can work to build the party at the grassroots and shape up a strong alternative to challenge the BJP in particular. "I had offers to join any other party for power , which I have ignored. I am an electoral politician with 10 years of work behind me. It is for the party or Mamata didi whether to allot me a seat in the Rajya Sabha or not. I have joined the party unconditionally and I shall strive to work for the party at the grassroots to form a strong alternative which would be able to respond to BJP's steps and decisions across the country," Dev said.
She added that Barak Valley has a history of decent politics since the country's independence and she wishes to maintain the democratic practice of politics in her journey ahead. AITC Cachar district general secretary Dr M Santi Kumar Singha and other supporters including those who had recently quit the Congress party accompanied Sushmita from the airport to the town.
