Dev could help it expand its base in N-EFormer Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev’s entry could give a boost to the national ambitions of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) via some north-eastern States, specifically Assam and Tripura that have a sizeable Bengali population. Ms. Dev, a former MP from southern Assam’s Silchar constituency, quit the Congress on Sunday night and joined the TMC in Kolkata on Monday. Ms. Dev was considered the tallest Congress leader of Barak Valley, having taken over from her father and former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev. “Her departure is definitely a jolt for the Congress in Barak Valley. Barak Valley Congress leaders said the party will become stronger without her.

Source: The Hindu August 16, 2021 17:24 UTC