Sushmita Dev resigns from Rajya Sabha, meets Assam CM Himanta; BJP entry possible

Sushmita Dev, known for her proximity to Mamata Banerjee, resigned from her Rajya Sabha MP post on Wednesday. Shortly after her resignation, a photograph emerged showing her meeting Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Speculations are rife that she might join BJP, according to sources. This resignation comes amidst a wave of political shifts within TMC. Over the past three days, two Rajya Sabha MPs from TMC have stepped down. On June 8, Sukhen Shekhar also resigned from his MP position and left the party, citing Mamata's 15-year 'chaotic governance' as the reason for TMC's setbacks. TMC currently has 28 Lok Sabha MPs and 13 Rajya Sabha MPs. However, internal dissent has been growing. On June 3, 58 MLAs formed a separate faction within the party, choosing Ritabrata Banerjee as their leader. Similarly, on June 8, 20 Lok Sabha MPs from TMC decided to support the NDA government, sending a signed letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting separate seating arrangements as a distinct parliamentary block. These developments have raised questions about the application of anti-defection laws and the potential impact on NDA's strength in the Lok Sabha. If the 20 MPs formally align with NDA, its count would rise from 293 to 313, making legislative processes, including passing key bills, easier for the government.