In a fresh setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from both the party and the Upper House on Wednesday, amid growing internal discord and a wave of resignations following the party’s defeat in the Legislative Assembly elections. Dev met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi, fueling speculation that she may join the BJP in the near future. Before joining the TMC, Dev was associated with the Congress party. Her father, the late Santosh Mohan Dev, had served as a Union Minister during the UPA-1 government.

In her resignation letter, Dev stated, “I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may kindly be accepted with immediate effect. I express my sincere gratitude to your Excellency, the Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, and all officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their support and cooperation during my tenure.”

Her resignation comes shortly after Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray stepped down from both the Upper House and the primary membership of the TMC on June 8. In his resignation letter, Ray criticized the party over its heavy defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, describing the result as a consequence of the “15-year anarchical rule” under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.

The resignations have intensified speculation of a split within the TMC, with nearly 20 Lok Sabha MPs reportedly rebelling against the party leadership. Rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar confirmed that a faction of 20 MPs had formally requested the Lok Sabha Speaker for separate seating arrangements.

“We are 20 MPs who have sought separate seating and will work in coordination with both the Central and State governments for the development of West Bengal,” she said. Meetings between rebel MPs, Union Minister and BJP West Bengal election in-charge Bhupender Yadav, and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari have further sparked rumors that the faction could merge with the NDA.

According to the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, the rebel MPs would require the support of at least two-thirds of the members to avoid disqualification in the event of a merger. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at 10 Janpath in Delhi. A day earlier, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had also met Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi amid the ongoing turmoil within the party. The rebellion has also extended to the West Bengal Assembly. Expelled TMC MLA Ritabrata Banerjee reportedly formed a separate faction with the backing of 58 MLAs and was later elected Leader of Opposition, replacing Sobhandev Chattopadhyay.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.