CM Himanta visits MP Sushmita Dev's mother amid health concern
Synopsis
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made a personal visit to MP Sushmita Dev's residence on 19 October 2026, enquiring about the health of her mother Bithika Dev, widow of veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, and wishing her a speedy recovery.
Key Takeaways
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma personally visited the residence of MP Sushmita Dev on 19 October 2026 .
The visit was to enquire about the health of Smt Bithika Dev , Sushmita Dev's mother.
Bithika Dev is the widow of late veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev , a former Union Minister.
Sushmita Dev is a former Lok Sabha MP from Silchar , continuing her family's long political legacy in Assam.
The gesture reflects cross-party personal courtesies common among Assam's established political families.
A quiet, cross-party gesture of human decency — Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma stepped away from the halls of power on Monday, 19 October 2026, to personally visit the residence of Rajya Sabha MP Smt Sushmita Dev and enquire about the health of her mother, Smt Bithika Dev, conveying his wishes for her speedy recovery.
The Chief Minister's Office of Assam confirmed the visit on X, sharing images of the call. Sarma's personal outreach to the Dev family home underscores the kind of inter-personal bonds that persist across Assam's political landscape — bonds built over decades of shared public life in the state.
Bithika Dev is the widow of the late veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, a towering figure in Assam and Barak Valley politics who served as a Union Minister. Her daughter, Sushmita Dev, carried forward the family's political legacy — first as a Lok Sabha MP from Silchar and later as a prominent voice in national politics. The Dev family's roots in Assam's political soil run deep, making Bithika Dev a figure of considerable regard within the state's public memory.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has served as Chief Minister of Assam since May 2021, himself navigated a significant political journey — from Congress leader to BJP's most dominant face in the Northeast. That journey did not erase older relationships; in Indian political culture, especially in states where political families are few and well-known, personal courtesies across party lines are not uncommon.
No policy or legislative dimension attaches to the visit. It is, simply, a senior elected official taking the time to sit at the bedside — or the drawing room — of a respected family in his state. In a political climate often defined by sharp rivalries, moments like these are worth noting for exactly what they are.
Point of View
Who himself transitioned from Congress to BJP, likely shares a history with the Santosh Mohan Dev family that predates his current role. Such gestures cost little politically but often signal a leader's awareness that statecraft and personal decency are not mutually exclusive. In the Northeast, where political networks are intimate and long-standing, they can quietly matter more than they appear.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma visit Sushmita Dev's home?
Himanta Biswa Sarma visited MP Sushmita Dev's residence to personally enquire about the health of her mother, Smt Bithika Dev, and convey his wishes for her speedy recovery.
Who is Sushmita Dev?
Sushmita Dev is an Indian politician and former Lok Sabha MP from Silchar, Assam, carrying forward the legacy of her father, the late Santosh Mohan Dev.
Is Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sushmita Dev from the same party?
No. Himanta Biswa Sarma represents the BJP, while Sushmita Dev is associated with the Congress political legacy. The visit was a cross-party personal courtesy.
When did Himanta Biswa Sarma become Chief Minister of Assam?
Himanta Biswa Sarma has served as Chief Minister of Assam since May 2021.
