Talla Sylla, the leader of Senegal’s Alliance Jëf Jël opposition party, on Tuesday evening announced his complete withdrawal from active politics.

This, according to him, is due to persistent illness which he sustained from a serious injury since 2003, when he was beaten up seriously by unidentified attackers. 
In a letter addressed to the Senegalese people from France where he is being treated and quoted by the Senegalese News Agency APS, 41-year-old Talla Sylla said "he is out of physical resources to continue the struggle he began for two decades". Until this latter move Talla, as he is commonly called, used to claim loud and clear that "politics was the only exciting passion of his life". The man who was once a collaborator to Abdoulaye Wade while he was an opponent to Abdou Diouf’s regime, fell out with his mentor and created Jef Jël. His realistic approach about his health incompatibility with politics sounds like an end to his political career while he appeared to be one amongst President Wade’s most radical opponents.

In his letter, Talla Sylla said "though he gave up from politics but his love for Senegal remains intact". The political formation he led took part in last Sunday’s Legislative elections and obtained a little more than 2%. This guaranties at least one seat to Talla Sylla’s Jef Jël in a parliament that counts 150 seats. For the past 5 years or so, Jef Jël had only a seat in the outgoing Legislature.
 
The Jef Jël leader’s political ascension began in the year 2001 when he was elected at the National Assembly. Talla Sylla who is a sociologist, occupied his seat but gave it up at mid term to his second Moussa Tine. On the reason behind his departure from Senegal’s National Assembly, Talla Sylla said "he was fed up with the continuous rejection of his bills and proposals by Wade’s majority that he then called a mechanical majority".
Born in Pikine a suburb in Dakar, Talla sylla early lost his father when he was  5. He first embraced politics in the year 1988 at a time Senegal went through a fierce political instability with a nationwide students protest that ended with a nul and void academic year. Talla Sylla was among the students’ leaders, who coordinated the move, comprising those from Cheikh Anta Diop University and all high schools in Dakar. No wonder he was later called the streets member of parliament.

In his Tuesday’s message to the Senegalese people, Talla Sylla said: "His current degrading health condition is the result of the wicked attack he suffered four years ago. He said people closed to the presidential palace were behind his current troubles". Talla Sylla did not lose hope to come back in the future though himself was not sure enough. "One day perhaps, I may come back with God’s support ''
It should be noted that the rumour on Talla Sylla’s withdrawal from active politics has been spreading for the past weeks in Senegal. Prior to that, his right hand man, Moussa Tine, a Doctor in law, announced his withdrawal from politics to concentrate on a consultancy firm he set up. With Talla Sylla’s forced exit, Moussa Tine who is also very vocal in Senegal’s politics may reconsider his move.