Sushmita Dev, a former Rajya Sabha MP, resigned from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and vacated her parliamentary seat on June 10, 2024 [1].

Dev's departure represents a significant loss for the TMC, as she was a prominent face for the party in the upper house of India's parliament. Her exit follows a pattern of internal friction within the party's leadership structure.

Speaking in Delhi, Dev said she chose to leave the party to avoid maintaining conflicting loyalties. She described her decision as a way to ensure she is not "in two boats at the same time" [1, 3].

When asked about the specific circumstances leading to her resignation, Dev said it is a "long story" [2].

Dev declined to comment on party chief Mamata Banerjee during her announcement [1, 3]. By resigning both her party membership and her seat in the Rajya Sabha, she has effectively severed her formal ties to the TMC political machinery.

The announcement on June 10, 2024 [1], marks the end of her tenure as a representative for the party in the national legislature. The move comes amid a volatile political climate in West Bengal, where the TMC continues to navigate challenges from opposition parties, and internal dissent.

“I do not want to be in two boats at the same time.”

The resignation of a high-profile figure like Sushmita Dev suggests ongoing instability within the Trinamool Congress. By vacating her Rajya Sabha seat rather than attempting to hold it as an independent, Dev has signaled a complete break from the party's current trajectory, potentially reflecting deeper ideological or strategic rifts between the party leadership and its senior members.