What’s Behind TMC MP Sushmita Dev's Sudden Resignation from Rajya Sabha?

Sushmita Dev Steps Down from Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: On Wednesday, Sushmita Dev, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), announced her resignation from the Rajya Sabha, marking the second resignation from the party this week.

Dev, who previously served with the Congress party before switching to TMC a few years back, formally submitted her resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan.

This resignation follows that of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, another TMC MP, who also stepped down from both the party and the Rajya Sabha earlier this week.

Reports suggest that Dev may be leaving TMC to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), having recently met with Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In her resignation letter, she stated, “I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect.”

She expressed her gratitude in the letter, thanking the Deputy Chairman and the Rajya Sabha secretariat for their support during her tenure.

The TMC is currently experiencing internal strife following its loss in the West Bengal Assembly elections, with several MPs opting to form a breakaway faction aligned with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

A significant number of TMC's 80 MLAs have already established a separate group under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee, who is now the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.