New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sushmita Dev as a member of the Upper House.
As per the Rajya Sabha Parliamentary Bulletin, Sushmita Dev, an elected Member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) representing West Bengal, resigned from her seat and her resignation has been accepted by the Chairman with effect from June 10, 2026.
This comes amid an internal rift within the party and a series of resignations after the Legislative Assembly election loss. There is also ongoing speculation of a split in the TMC with about 20 Lok Sabha MPs rebelling.
Following her resignation from TMC and Rajya Sabha, Sushmita Dev on Wednesday said that she wants to work in Assam now.
Adding to the TMC's troubles, Sushmita Dev had resigned from the party and is speculated to join the BJP. She met Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma in the national capital.
Describing the reason behind her decision to quit TMC, she said, "I had political and personal reasons to do this. In an independent country, a politician can make any decision in their political life. I express gratitude towards the people of Bengal, but I have to work in Assam. Looking at this, I have taken this decision."
When asked about switching to the BJP, she refuted the allegations of opportunism.
"BJP and Congress are national parties, but currently, I am not in any party. How can I decide which party I will go to? It will be the decision of the parties. Today, if you are commenting on someone, you might be in the same situation later. There is nothing as opportunistic in politics," Sushmita Dev said.
Dev was earlier with the Congress before switching to the TMC. Her father, the late Santosh Mohan Dev, was a Union Minister in the UPA-1 government. (ANI)
