Sushmita Dev resigns as Rajya Sabha MP in massive setback for Mamata Banerjee - 2nd in two days

ANOTHER Trinamool Congress MP, Sushmita Dev, has resigned from Rajya Sabha in a massive setback to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC sources have confirmed. This is the second TMC Member of Parliament (MP) to have resigned from the upper house.

In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, Sushmita Dev wrote: “I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect.”

“I convey my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency, Honourable Deputy Chairman and all functionaries of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat extending all help and cooperation during my tenure as a Member of the Rajya Sabha,” she said.

Speaking with the reporters, she said, “I have left Trinamool Congress. It is a long story why I left TMC. I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. I will not comment on Mamata Didi.”

Earlier, Sushmita Dev had met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi on Wednesday, June 10, in the morning. There is speculation that she may also join the BJP at a later stage. Sushmita Dev was earlier with the Congress before switching to the TMC.

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Sushmita Dev's resignation comes at a time when the party is dealing with internal conflicts, rebellions and a series of resignations after the Legislative Assembly election loss.

A day ago, veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, among TMC's most recognisable faces in Parliament, had quit the party and resigned as Rajya Sabha MP, citing “difficulty” in continuing on the post.

He said, “I have met Rajya Sabha chairman and submitted my resignation. I have conveyed my decision to resign from the party through WhatsApp and email to Mamata Banerjee. I had my tenure till 2029 in the Rajya Sabha, but I have resigned in principle from the party as it would be difficult for me to continue.”

He also termed TMC's poll drubbing as an outcome of the “15-year anarchical rule” of the party.

Earlier on May 27, Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar had resigned from all organisational posts and launched a political broadside, invoking corruption allegations, the RG Kar row and the growing grip of I-PAC over the party machinery.

Her resignation came barely a day after she attended Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's administrative review meeting in Kalyani, defying what party sources said was an instruction from the TMC leadership to stay away. However, Dastidar has not resigned as the Lok Sabha MP from Barasat.

Later, the rebel TMC MP also confirmed that she and 19 others have decided to extend support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). She said they had formally requested the Lok Sabha Speaker for separate seating arrangements.