Mamata Banerjee has serious plans for northeast, says TMC leader Sushmita Dev

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has serious plans for the northeast, said Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sushmita Dev on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANI, Dev said, "I am extremely grateful to my leader, Mamata Di that she has given me an opportunity to file my nomination and contest the Rajya Sabha election. It is not important that Sushmita Dev has got it. There are a couple of messages in it. First, Trinamool Congress once again proved that more women in Parliament is their vision and conviction."

"Secondly, Mamata Di has given a strong message to the northeast (India) by giving someone from northeast a Rajya Sabha seat where West Bengal MLAs will be voting. It means she has serious plans for the northeast. And, I also cannot deny the fact that for many decades that no Bengali who is from Assam has gone to Rajya Sabha," the TMC leader emphasised.

Asked about Tripura government's allegedly denying permission to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's padyatra, Dev said, "It is crystal clear that the Tripura government and BJP regime here is extremely afraid of the charisma and determination of Abhishek Banerjee. That is the single reason they are consistently denying Abhishek's padyatra. We want to see how long the BJP government will be keeping a tiger like Abhishek Banerjee out of Tripura."

Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday nominated Sushmita Dev, who joined the party recently, as the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha bypoll from West Bengal.

Dev, a former Congress MP from Silchar, Assam joined TMC last month in presence of party leader Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O' Brien and others. She is a prominent figure outside West Bengal to join TMC.

Trinamool Congress said in a tweet that it is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics.

"We are extremely pleased to nominate Sushmita Dev to the Upper House of the Parliament. Mamata Banerjee's vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics shall help our society to achieve much more!" the party said in a tweet.

Sushmita Dev also expressed her gratitude to Mamata Banerjee for nominating her to the Upper House of the Parliament.

"I am overwhelmed. I thank my leader Mamata Banerjee from the bottom of my heart. Her conviction to see more women in parliament is exemplary. I will do my very best," she said.

The Election Commission had earlier this month announced bypolls for six Rajya Sabha seats across five states. These seats fell vacant due to the resignation or death of the sitting MPs. It also announced a biennial election for one seat from Puducherry.

Voting for all seats is scheduled for October 4. The six Rajya Sabha seats include two in Tamil Nadu and one seat each in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.Trinamool Congress is seeking to expand its footprint outside West Bengal.

( With inputs from ANI )