Indian political leader says he will divorce wife who joined rival party

Political foes, the ruling TMC and BJP have been at loggerheads to claim power in West Bengal, with its firebrand chief Mamata Banerjee vying for a third straight term

Bharatiya Janata Party supporters tear off a banner with a picture of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Bharatiya Janata Party supporters block a road during a 12-hour general strike in North Bengal called by BJP to protest against the West Bengal state government in Siliguri on December 8, 2020 (Getty Images)

Political animosity has driven a wedge between an Indian politician and his wife of ten years, who joined a rival party on Monday. 

During a hastily-called press conference, legislator Saumitra Khan, from opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the eastern state of West Bengal, vowed to divorce his wife Sujata Mondal Khan after she joined the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), according to reports.

Mr Khan reportedly teared up while announcing his decision to "sever our 10-year relationship" and said his wife’s decision (to join TMC) was a “big mistake”. He accused state chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s party of “stealing his wife”.

“I give you full freedom. This is my appeal to you to remove my surname ‘Khan’ from your name,” he said.

Ms Mondal Khan had criticised the politics practised by BJP after pledging her allegiance to TMC.

“I have decided to join the TMC because of the BJP’s dirty politics,” she said and added that “those who shed their sweat and blood for the (BJP) party” are not rewarded while “opportunist fence-sitters” from TMC are being enticed with prime positions to lure them into crossing over.

Ms Mondal Khan alleged that she never received due acknowledgement in the BJP for the hard work she did and the risks she took to help her husband win the 2014 parliamentary election from the Bishnupur constituency. 

"I want to breathe. I want respect. I want to be an able leader of an able party. I want to work with my beloved Didi,"  she said of Ms Banerjee who many call didi or elder sister. 

West Bengal is amidst political upheaval as it is scheduled to go for Assembly polls in mid-2021. The dates have not been announced by the Election Commission.

In a setback to TMC, BJP has inducted a significant number of its members to key positions in the past two years.

On Saturday, TMC witnessed the worst exodus as over 60 leaders, including an MP and half a dozen MLAs, defected to the BJP at Home Minister Amit Shah's rally.