Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev resigned as a member of the Rajya Sabha and announced her exit from the Mamata Banerjee-led party on Wednesday. Her exit adds to a series of setbacks for the TMC following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Dev became the second TMC Rajya Sabha member to leave the party after veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray stepped down, citing concerns over governance and corruption.
Speaking to reporters after her resignation, Dev said, "I have left Trinamool Congress. What prompted me to leave the party is a long story, and I don't think that in politics everything should be revealed. It's just that I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. The kind of upbringing I have had, I can't stay in one party and serve the other".
Sushmita Dev avoids comments on Mamata Banerjee
Despite leaving the party, Sushmita Dev refrained from criticising Mamata Banerjee. "I will not comment on Mamata Didi. That's for sure," she said.
A former president of the All India Mahila Congress, Dev joined the TMC in 2021 after leaving the Congress. Earlier, she had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Silchar to BJP candidate Rajdeep Roy. Within the TMC, she served as the party's national spokesperson and represented the party in the upper house of the parliament.
Soon after her resignation, photographs of Dev meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi surfaced, triggering speculation about her political future, Hindustan Times reported.
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Internal challenges mount for TMC
Sushmita Dev's exit adds to a slew of events indicating massive unrest within the Trinamool Congress.
Earlier, MLA Ritabrata Banerjee claimed support from 58 legislators to stake claim as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Separately, MP Kakoli Ghosh publicly spoke of a possible breakaway group backed by several rebel MPs.
Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who resigned before a recent INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, had alleged "unbridled corruption" and "anarchical rule" within the party.
The developments have increased pressure on Mamata Banerjee as she seeks to maintain unity within the TMC after its electoral setback.
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FAQs:
1. Why did Sushmita Dev resign from the TMC?
She said she did not want to be "in two boats at the same time" and described her reasons as a "long story."
2. Who was the other TMC Rajya Sabha MP to resign recently?
Veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray had earlier resigned, citing concerns over corruption and governance.
