Who is Sukhendu Sekhar Roy? Senior TMC Leader Resigns from Party, Rajya Sabha; Read Reason

In a major setback for the Trinamool Congress, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy has quit the party. His resignation comes at a critical time, just as Mamata Banerjee is in Delhi, and gives a huge boost to the rebel camp within the TMC.

Just as the Trinamool Congress finds itself in a tight spot, senior leader Sukhendu Shekhar Roy has resigned from his Rajya Sabha seat and quit the party. Roy's resignation gives a major boost to the rebel camp, and the timing is crucial as Mamata Banerjee is currently in Delhi. Meanwhile, the rebel MPs plan to meet the Lok Sabha Speaker this week to seek permission to sit as a separate bloc. After MPs and MLAs, even elected members from local bodies are now looking to jump ship from Mamata's camp.

This is the first major crack to appear among the party's MPs, following a series of MLA defections. By resigning from his Rajya Sabha seat, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy has thrown a serious challenge to Mamata Banerjee. He has also resigned from his party. He submitted his resignation letter this morning after reaching Parliament. Roy had been feeling sidelined ever since Mamata promoted Abhishek Banerjee to a top leadership role. He had recently warned that the rebellion seen in the state assembly would soon reach Parliament. 

After resigning, Roy also clarified that he had turned down an offer to join the BJP. Rumours are strong that another Rajya Sabha MP, Koyal Malik, might also resign along with Sukhendu. The rebel camp's move comes just as Mamata Banerjee and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee are in Delhi for the INDIA bloc meeting. 

More MPs are expected to resign soon.

The Trinamool Congress has a total of 41 MPs in Parliament—28 in the Lok Sabha and 13 in the Rajya Sabha. To avoid the anti-defection law in the Lok Sabha, a group needs at least 19 MPs to split. Right now, the rebel faction claims to have 20 MPs from both houses. They estimate this number will rise to at least 30. Some rebel MPs who arrived in Delhi recently have already held talks with the BJP leadership. Their next move is to approach the Speaker, claiming they are the 'real' Trinamool Congress. 

To avoid the risk of disqualification, they will initially request permission to sit as a separate bloc. If they get it, they could sit as a separate group during the monsoon session and support the BJP. Mamata is making last-ditch efforts to keep some wavering MPs on her side. However, reports suggest that leaders who were once close to her are not even taking her calls. Meanwhile, some municipal councillors from Mamata's camp have also started looking for other options. Rebel leader Ritabhroto Banerjee is spearheading these moves. To stop the exodus, Mamata Banerjee personally met some councillors before leaving for Delhi, asking them to stay with the party. The crisis shows that Mamata's power is weakening right down to the grassroots level. But even as she faces a series of setbacks, Mamata is not willing to remove Abhishek Banerjee from his leadership post.