Following a setback in the Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is now grappling with a fresh political blow in the Rajya Sabha. In a significant development, senior leader Sushmita Dev has resigned from her position as a Rajya Sabha MP, two days after veteran parliamentarian Sukhendu Sekhar Roy stepped down.
Sushmita, daughter of late Congress veteran Santosh Mohan Dev, had joined the TMC in 2021 after the party’s decisive victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Her induction, reportedly facilitated by party leader Abhishek Banerjee on the advice of political strategist Prashant Kishor, was part of a broader strategy to expand the party’s footprint in Northeast India.
Upon joining, she was promptly nominated to the Rajya Sabha and entrusted with strengthening the party’s organisational presence in Tripura and Assam. However, the party’s expansion efforts in these states failed to yield tangible results. Additionally, her elevation had triggered resentment among several veteran leaders within the TMC, who viewed the move as sidelining long-standing party members.
The situation may worsen further, with reports indicating that actress-turned-politician Koel Mallick is also likely to resign from her Rajya Sabha seat. After Sushmita’s resignation, the TMC could see three seats in the Upper House fall vacant simultaneously.
West Bengal currently holds 16 Rajya Sabha seats, of which the TMC had 13. The resignation of Roy and Sushmita has already reduced the party’s tally, and further exits could significantly weaken its position.
As per constitutional provisions, the Election Commission of India will be required to conduct by-elections for the vacant seats. However, political observers point to a decisive advantage for the BJP, given its current strength in the state Assembly.
With favourable legislative arithmetic, the BJP is poised to secure all three seats with ease. Such an outcome would mark a notable shift in the Rajya Sabha representation from West Bengal, potentially allowing the saffron party to make significant inroads at the expense of the TMC.
The unfolding developments underscore growing internal discontent within the TMC and could signal a larger realignment in Bengal’s political landscape in the coming months.
Also read: CID searches TMC offices in signature forgery case
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