New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered another setback on Wednesday after senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from the Upper House, amid growing signs of a widening rebellion within the party.
Sources indicated that Dev is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and could return to the Rajya Sabha as a member of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Her resignation comes days after senior TMC leader Sukhendu Shekhar Ray emerged as a prominent face of the revolt against party chief Mamata Banerjee in the Rajya Sabha. The latest development has added to concerns about increasing dissent within the party’s parliamentary ranks.
Sushmita Dev, who was previously associated with the Congress, had represented Assam’s Silchar constituency in the Lok Sabha before joining the TMC. She later became one of the party’s prominent leaders in Parliament.
The resignation comes at a time when the TMC is grappling with what political observers describe as its biggest internal crisis in recent years. Reports suggest that nearly 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs have also expressed their intention to leave the party and align with the NDA.
The turmoil has raised questions over the future strength of the TMC in Parliament. In the Rajya Sabha, the party currently has 13 members. Under the provisions of the Anti-Defection Law, at least two-thirds of the members, or nine MPs, would be required to formally split from the party without facing disqualification.
Sources further claimed that several other TMC parliamentarians are in contact with the BJP leadership. Among the names being discussed are actor-turned-politicians Yusuf Pathan and Shatrughan Sinha, though neither leader has publicly commented on the speculation.
The latest resignation is expected to intensify political uncertainty within the Trinamool Congress as it confronts mounting challenges both within the party and in Parliament.
