Guwahati: In a significant setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Wednesday resigned from both the party and the Upper House, becoming the second TMC parliamentarian to quit within a week.
A former Congress leader and ex-president of the All India Mahila Congress, Dev had joined the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in August 2021 and was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal on September 27, 2021.
Dev submitted her resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, seeking immediate acceptance of her decision. In her resignation, she cited “personal and political reasons”.
Speaking to reporters after stepping down, Dev said, “I have resigned not only from Rajya Sabha but from Trinamool Congress, and that is the principal thing to do.” She added that since the Rajya Sabha seat had been given to her by the TMC, it was appropriate for her to resign from the House as well.
Explaining her decision, Dev said she now wished to focus her political work in Assam.
“I want to work in Assam now... According to my understanding in politics, I want to work in Assam. So I took the decision keeping that in mind,” she said, adding that she was not directly involved in Bengal politics.
Soon after tendering her resignation, Dev met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi. Speaking to the media, she described the Chief Minister as a guide and said she had sought his advice before taking her next political steps.
“I took advice from him,” Dev said.
Sources indicated that the meeting included discussions on a possible roadmap for her return to active politics in Assam.
Although Dev has not announced any future political affiliation, her meeting with the Assam Chief Minister has triggered widespread speculation about a possible move to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Political circles view the interaction as a significant development amid reports of her likely political realignment.
Dev, however, rejected suggestions that her decision was driven by immediate political gains, maintaining that her move stemmed from deeper personal and political considerations. At present, she is not affiliated with any political party.
Her resignation comes amid growing challenges for the TMC following its recent electoral setback in West Bengal and the earlier resignation of Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy. The latest exit has intensified discussions about internal discontent within the party.
In Assam, Dev's return to active state politics is being closely watched, particularly in the Barak Valley, where she previously represented the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency. Her political experience and profile as a senior woman leader could influence future political equations in the region.
Cachar district TMC president Rajesh Deb expressed concern over the development and indicated that more leaders could leave the party amid the prevailing uncertainty.
Political observers are also viewing the resignation as part of a broader political churn, with reports suggesting that several opposition leaders are reassessing their future alignments.
Whether Sushmita Dev formally joins the BJP and the role she chooses to play in Assam politics are expected to become clearer in the coming days.
