Sushmita Dev, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP, resigned from the upper house and quit the party on June 10, 2026 [4].

This departure signals a deepening crisis within the TMC, suggesting a loss of stability for party leader Mamata Banerjee as senior members exit the organization.

Dev is 53 years old [1]. Her exit follows the resignation of senior MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray earlier this week, making her the second TMC MP to resign in a seven-day period [2]. The party is currently facing significant internal friction, with reports indicating that 20 of its 28 Lok Sabha MPs have rebelled against the party line [3].

Following her resignation, Dev was seen meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam. This meeting has fueled widespread speculation regarding her political future. Some reports suggest she may defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), though other sources have not confirmed a move to the party.

The timing of the resignation coincides with a period of instability for the TMC in New Delhi. The party has struggled to maintain a unified front in the Rajya Sabha as internal disputes over leadership and strategy continue to surface.

Dev's decision to leave both the house and the party represents a total break from her previous political affiliation. The loss of a Rajya Sabha seat further reduces the TMC's influence in the upper house of India's Parliament.

Sushmita Dev resigned from the upper house and quit the party on June 10, 2026

The resignation of Sushmita Dev, coupled with the earlier departure of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and the rebellion of a majority of the party's Lok Sabha MPs, indicates a systemic collapse of discipline within the Trinamool Congress. If Dev joins the BJP, it would mark a strategic victory for the right-wing party in Assam and West Bengal, further eroding Mamata Banerjee's regional hegemony.