Bengal BJP leader sends divorce notice to wife who joined TMC

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Saumitra Khan on Tuesday sent a divorce notice to his wife Sujata Mondol Khan, a day after she joined the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The legal notice for “mutual divorce under section 13(B) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955” said that the couple were not in cordial terms and had been living separately for the past six months. The couple could not be contacted for their comments.

Meanwhile, the state administration posted four police personnel at Sujata’s house in Bankura district, while three armed police personnel were deployed to give her round-the-clock security.

Twists and turns straight out of a Bollywood movie played out on West Bengal’s political stage on Monday, shortly after Sujata joined the TMC.

“Sujata, I will send you papers for mutual divorce. Please sign them and do not use Khan, my surname, from today,” an emotionally charged Saumitra said in a press conference on Monday as a family drama involving melodramatic exchanges between him and his wife was aired on live television.

Later in the day, Sujata said in an interview to mediapersons: “I married him going against the wish of my family. I love him and will always do so. I still have the red sindoor (vermilion) on my forehead (a sign of a married woman).”

“Can a personal relationship end in divorce because of politics? No TMC leader told me that I have to divorce him to join the party,” she added.

Saumitra is a former TMC leader who joined the BJP in January 2019. He was the TMC’s Lok Sabha member from Bishnupur in Bankura district. He retained the seat by contesting for the BJP and was made president of the state BJYM about three months ago.