Sushmita Dev quits Trinamool Congress and Rajya Sabha, cites political and personal reasons
Synopsis
Sushmita Dev walked away from both the Trinamool Congress and her Rajya Sabha seat on the same day — calling it 'the principled thing to do.' With her Assam identity front and centre and a pointed reference to TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's remarks, her exit signals deeper fault lines within the party's Upper House bloc.
Key Takeaways
Sushmita Dev resigned from the All India Trinamool Congress and the Rajya Sabha on 10 June .
She submitted her Rajya Sabha resignation to the Vice President at around 11 am .
Dev cited 'political and personal' reasons, declining to elaborate further.
She emphasised her Assam identity and her desire to serve the people of the state in future.
She referenced TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's praise for Sukhendu Sekhar Roy's resignation as something she 'felt odd' about.
Dev has not yet announced her next political affiliation, saying she needs a few days to decide.
Sushmita Dev on Wednesday, 10 June resigned from both the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Rajya Sabha, citing 'political and personal' reasons for her departure. The former Member of Parliament, who was sent to the Upper House by the TMC, submitted her resignation to the Vice President at around 11 am, making a clean break from the party that had backed her entry into Parliament.
What Sushmita Dev Said
Speaking to reporters after submitting her resignation, Dev was measured but firm. 'I have some political and personal reasons. I do not want to say anything more than that,' she said. She added that resigning from both the party and the Rajya Sabha was 'the principled thing to do,' signalling that she did not wish to retain a seat granted by a party she was leaving.
Dev declined to answer questions about TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying: 'What made me take this decision is a very long story, and I don't think everything needs to be revealed in politics. Reasons are my own, and the decision is my own. I don't have anyone to blame.'
Assam Focus and Political Future
Dev, the daughter of late Congress leader and Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev, was emphatic that her political identity lies in Assam, not Bengal. 'I am not directly involved in Bengal politics, I am from Assam. My political future will continue, and there are many ways to do it. But I want to serve the people of Assam,' she said.
She also ruled out any ambiguity about her next steps, stating she did not want to be 'in two boats.' 'Given my family background and upbringing, I have never stayed in one party and served another,' she asserted, while noting she needed 'a few days' time' to decide her political direction.
The Wider TMC Dissent Context
Dev's resignation comes amid reported internal tensions within the TMC's Rajya Sabha contingent. She referenced remarks made by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee at a press conference the previous day, in which he praised Sukhendu Sekhar Roy for resigning — a comment Dev said she 'felt odd' about. Banerjee had been expressing dissatisfaction with a rebel MP group led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, telling dissenters that those with grievances against the party should resign.
Notably, Dev's exit is part of a broader pattern of TMC MPs departing the party, though she declined to comment on others' motivations. 'Who is leaving the Trinamool and why they are leaving can only be answered by those people,' she said.
What Comes Next
Dev has not announced her next political affiliation, stating she requires time to decide. Her resignation from the Rajya Sabha will need to be accepted by the Vice President, who chairs the Upper House. Given her Assam roots and her family's long association with the Congress, her next move will be closely watched by political observers in both New Delhi and Guwahati.
Point of View
Which sets her apart from others in the current TMC churn. The careful avoidance of any attack on Mamata Banerjee suggests she is keeping options open rather than burning bridges. Her pointed reference to Kalyan Banerjee's remarks, however, hints at the internal dynamics that made her position untenable. The real question is whether her Assam pivot leads back to the Congress — her family's political home — or whether she charts a genuinely independent course in a state where the BJP currently dominates.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sushmita Dev resign from Trinamool Congress and Rajya Sabha?
Sushmita Dev cited 'political and personal' reasons for her resignation on 10 June, but declined to elaborate publicly. She said the decision to resign from both the party and the Rajya Sabha simultaneously was 'the principled thing to do.'
Who is Sushmita Dev?
Sushmita Dev is a politician from Assam and the daughter of late Congress leader and Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev. She was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, having been sent to the Upper House by the All India Trinamool Congress.
What is Sushmita Dev's next political plan?
Dev has not announced a new political affiliation. She stated she needs 'a few days' time' to decide, but made clear she wants to focus on Assam and serve the people of her home state going forward.
What is the significance of her resignation in the context of TMC dissent?
Dev's exit is part of a broader wave of reported dissent within the TMC's Rajya Sabha contingent. She referenced TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's remarks praising Sukhendu Sekhar Roy for resigning, calling it something she 'felt odd' about — suggesting internal party tensions influenced her decision.
Will Sushmita Dev's Rajya Sabha resignation be accepted automatically?
No. A Rajya Sabha member's resignation must be accepted by the Vice President, who chairs the Upper House. Dev submitted her resignation to the Vice President on 10 June; formal acceptance is a separate step.
