Sushmita Dev, a Rajya Sabha MP of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has resigned from all party positions [1].

Dev's departure represents a significant blow to the TMC's national ambitions, particularly its efforts to expand influence in northeast India. The move highlights growing internal dissent within the party as high-profile members exit the organization [2].

Dev is the second Rajya Sabha MP from the TMC to resign this week [3]. Her departure follows a similar exit by fellow MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, signaling a trend of attrition among the party's upper house representatives [1].

Shortly after her resignation, Dev met with Himanta Biswa Sarma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi [1]. While the specific details of the meeting were not disclosed, the timing of the encounter with a senior BJP leader has drawn significant political attention in West Bengal and the capital [1].

Dev has previously been described as a confidante of Rahul Gandhi, adding a layer of complexity to her political trajectory as she moves away from the TMC [2]. The party's leadership has not yet provided a formal response to the wave of resignations occurring this week [1].

Political observers said that the loss of experienced lawmakers like Dev and Ray may weaken the TMC's strategic positioning in the Rajya Sabha. The party now faces the challenge of maintaining cohesion, while attempting to project power beyond its stronghold in West Bengal [2].

“Sushmita Dev is the second Rajya Sabha MP from the TMC to resign this week.”

The resignation of Sushmita Dev, coupled with the exit of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, suggests a destabilization of the Trinamool Congress's leadership structure in the Rajya Sabha. By meeting with BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma immediately after quitting, Dev signals a potential shift in allegiance that could strengthen the BJP's position in the northeast, a region where the TMC has sought to establish a foothold.