Sushmita Dev, a senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, resigned from her party and the Upper House on June 10, 2024 [1].
Dev's departure represents a significant blow to the TMC leadership, as she is a prominent figure with deep ties to Assam. Her exit follows a pattern of instability within the party, signaling a potential shift in the regional political landscape.
Dev, who previously served as a Congress MP from Silchar, Assam, made the announcement in New Delhi [2]. She said she had a combination of personal and political reasons for the decision, stating a specific desire to work in Assam [5].
Reports indicate that Dev met with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi around the time of her resignation [2]. This meeting has fueled widespread speculation that she may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the near future [4, 5].
This resignation marks the second instance of a TMC leader quitting the party within a single week [3]. The timing of these departures suggests a deepening internal crisis for the party led by Mamata Banerjee, as high-profile members distance themselves from the organization [4, 6].
Dev's transition from the TMC, a party that has struggled to maintain a foothold in Assam, to a potential role within the BJP could alter the competitive dynamics in the northeast. The party now faces the challenge of filling a vacancy in the Rajya Sabha while managing the optics of a growing rebel camp [3, 6].
“Sushmita Dev resigned from her party and the Upper House on June 10, 2024.”
The resignation of Sushmita Dev highlights the precarious nature of the TMC's influence outside of West Bengal. By exiting both the party and the Rajya Sabha to focus on Assam, Dev is positioning herself for a potential alignment with the BJP, which currently dominates the political landscape in that state. This move, coupled with other recent departures, suggests a period of volatility for the TMC as it struggles to retain senior leaders amidst shifting regional alliances.
