TMC's Luizinho Faleiro resigns as Rajya Sabba MP

Trinamool Congress MP Luizinho Faleiro on Tuesday resigned from Rajya Sabha citing personal reasons, three years and seven months ahead of his term.

The 71-year-old two-term Goa Chief Minister, who left the Congress to join Trinamool in September 2021 and became an MP within two months, submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, which was accepted.

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"We wish Faleiro good health, happiness and a long life. We sincerely hope that he continues to tirelessly serve the people of Goa and strive towards achieving more progress and advancement of the state. AITC will announce a new candidate for the seat as and when the election is notified," Trinamool Congress said in a statement.

Faleiro’s resignation has led to speculation about who would be Trinamool’s choice for the remainder of his term in the Upper House.

Faleiro, who was Congress General Secretary in charge of seven north-eastern states before he left the party, was among a host of Congress leaders who had joined Trinamool Congress during that period.

He was made a Rajya Sabha MP by the Trinamool with an eye on Goa Assembly elections. However, he refused to contest the Assembly election, which did not go well with the Trinamool central leadership.

A veteran leader, he had headed Congress' Karnataka Election Screening Committee for the 2013 elections in which the party emerged victorious. He was also a seven-term MLA.