Sushmita Dev, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP, has resigned from all party posts and her parliamentary membership [1, 2].
Dev's departure signals a deepening crisis within the TMC, as the party faces an unprecedented internal divide that has prompted multiple members of parliament to quit [2]. This instability threatens the party's cohesion in the national political arena.
Dev submitted her resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan [1]. In her formal communication, she said, "I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect" [1].
The resignation occurred on the third day of this week [1]. Dev is the second Rajya Sabha MP from the TMC to resign during this seven-day period [1].
Despite the abrupt nature of her exit, Dev maintained a neutral public stance regarding the party leadership. When questioned about her departure, she said she would not comment against Mamata Banerjee [1].
The departures come as the TMC struggles with an internal split that has seen a wave of resignations [2]. The loss of high-profile legislators from the upper house limits the party's influence in the Rajya Sabha, and highlights growing friction between the leadership and its representatives.
“"I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha..."”
The resignation of Sushmita Dev, following another MP's exit this week, indicates a systemic fracture within the Trinamool Congress. By resigning from both her party roles and her legislative seat, Dev is not merely switching affiliations but removing herself from the party's power structure entirely. This trend suggests that the internal divide is reaching a critical point where leadership cannot retain key parliamentary assets, potentially weakening the party's leverage in national policy debates.
