{ "id": "epqn7ehqf5", "slug": "sharmila-sarkar", "title": "Sharmila Sarkar", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.east-and-central-indian-politicians", "label": "East and Central Indian politicians", "api_url": 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"api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.east-and-central-indian-politicians.legislators-and-party-leaders" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.east-and-central-indian-politicians.legislators-and-party-leaders.alpha-n-to-s", "label": "Surnames N to S", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.east-and-central-indian-politicians.legislators-and-party-leaders.alpha-n-to-s" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Sharmila Sarkar, born 1979, is an Indian politician and former professor of psychiatry elected in 2024 to the Lok Sabha from Bardhaman Purba, West Bengal, for the Trinamool Congress.", "snippet": "Sharmila Sarkar, born 1979, is an Indian politician and former professor of psychiatry elected in 2024 to the Lok Sabha from Bardhaman Purba, West Bengal, for the Trinamool Congress.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.east-and-central-indian-politicians.legislators-and-party-leaders.alpha-n-to-s", "markdown": "# Sharmila Sarkar\n\nSharmila Sarkar (born 1979) is an Indian politician who was elected in 2024 as a Trinamool Congress candidate to the [Lok Sabha](https://www.edgepedia.org/lok-sabha) from Bardhaman Purba in [West Bengal](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bengal).[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html) She is a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) Before entering politics she was a professor of psychiatry.[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Elected in 2024 as a Trinamool Congress candidate[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html) |\n| Current office | Member of the Lok Sabha for Bardhaman Purba[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) |\n| Born | 1979, Katwa, Purba Bardhaman[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) |\n| Education | MD in Psychiatry, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER)[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nSarkar was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2024 on a Trinamool Congress ticket.[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html) In June 2026 she joined a group of rebel Trinamool members of Parliament who announced the formation of a separate bloc supporting the [National Democratic Alliance](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-democratic-alliance).[3](https://democraticvoiceusa.com/2026/06/08/trinamool-congress-crisis-sharmila-sarkar-20-trinamool-mps-forming-new-bloc-will-support-nda-rebel-mp-to-ndtv/)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSarkar was born in 1979 in Katwa, in [Purba Bardhaman](https://www.edgepedia.org/purba-bardhaman) district, West Bengal.[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) She earned an MD in [Psychiatry](https://www.edgepedia.org/psychiatry) from the Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER) and worked as a professor of psychiatry before entering politics.[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) • [1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html) A Bangla-language news report described her as not being a seasoned politician, noting that her name emerged shortly before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when [Mamata Banerjee](https://www.edgepedia.org/mamata-banerjee) gave her the party ticket for Bardhaman Purba.[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html)\n\n## Career\n\nSarkar has been a member of the 18th Lok Sabha since 2024, representing Bardhaman Purba.[2](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members) In her parliamentary work she has raised matters concerning her constituency and her professional field. On December 11, 2025, she made a special mention asking for a stoppage of [Vande Bharat Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/vande-bharat-express) trains at Bardhaman Junction.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar) On December 3, 2025, she raised the facilities at AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal, and the party page for that mention says she called on the Union government to fill faculty and non-faculty vacancies at the institute.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar) • [5](https://aitcofficial.org/dr-sharmila-sarkars-zero-hour-mention-on-instituting-a-stoppage-at-bardhaman-station-for-vande-bharat-trains-commencing-from-howrah/) On April 3, 2025, she made a special mention on the need for mental health awareness and government action after COVID-19.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar) On February 9, 2026, she raised the need for comprehensive measures to prevent and address suicides by young people in the country.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar)\n\n## Issues specific to Sarkar\n\nIn June 2026, after the Trinamool Congress's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly election, Sarkar joined a group of rebel party members of Parliament. A letter circulated online listing 19 Lok Sabha members seeking recognition as a separate group included her name, along with [Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar](https://www.edgepedia.org/kakoli-ghosh-dastidar), Satabdi Roy, and others.[6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/trinamool-on-brink-of-split-as-letter-signed-by-19-rebel-mps-surfaces-bengal-parliament-faction-mamata-banerjee-101781312021138.html) • [7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Jun/12/rebel-trinamool-faction-to-move-ls-speaker-for-real-tmc-status-party-cites-anti-defection-law) She was seen at a meeting of the rebel legislators at the home of a [Bharatiya Janata Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharatiya-janata-party) member of Parliament on June 8, 2026.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/tmc-rebel-mps-nda-bloc-mamata-banerjee-crisis-10733274/) • [1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html) Telling NDTV about the move, she said, \"We are forming a different bloc of 20 MPs and going to give support to the NDA. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is our chief whip and Shatabdi Roy is our deputy leader\".[3](https://democraticvoiceusa.com/2026/06/08/trinamool-congress-crisis-sharmila-sarkar-20-trinamool-mps-forming-new-bloc-will-support-nda-rebel-mp-to-ndtv/)\n\nExplaining her decision to [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express), she said, \"After the Assembly poll defeat, the party seemed to be in a limbo. I did not know what to do. No one even communicated with me\".[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/tmc-rebel-mps-nda-bloc-mamata-banerjee-crisis-10733274/) She said she had served on the party's fact-finding committee on post-poll violence and submitted a report, but received no direction afterward.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/tmc-rebel-mps-nda-bloc-mamata-banerjee-crisis-10733274/) In an interview to the Bangla-language channel TV9 Bangla, she said, \"অনেক দিন ধরে দলকে ক্ষোভের কথা বলার চেষ্টা করেছি। একটা প্রতিবাদ দরকার ছিল। সেই সাহসটা পেয়েছি রাজ্য থেকেই। এটা আমাদের প্রতিবাদ।\" (our translation: For a long time I tried to speak about my anger with the party. A protest was needed. I got that courage from the state itself. This is our protest.)[1](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html)\n\n## Positions and voting record\n\n### Rail services in her constituency\n\nIn a Zero Hour mention in the Lok Sabha, Sarkar asked the Minister of Railways for Vande Bharat trains beginning from Howrah to stop at Bardhaman Junction. She said, \"Bardhaman is a very important city of West Bengal and an important railway junction as well. So many commuters travel through this station, and it connects all the adjacent districts like Birbhum, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Burdwan, and Paschim Burdwan.\" She added, \"But it is very unfortunate that not even a single Vande Bharat train has a stoppage at Bardhaman Junction.\"[5](https://aitcofficial.org/dr-sharmila-sarkars-zero-hour-mention-on-instituting-a-stoppage-at-bardhaman-station-for-vande-bharat-trains-commencing-from-howrah/)\n\n### Nuclear energy\n\nSpeaking in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2025, on the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025, Sarkar said, \"On behalf, All India Trinamool Congress, I stand to oppose the Bill because of excessive privatisation of a key sector.\"[9](https://aitcofficial.org/dr-sharmila-sarkars-speech-on-the-sustainable-harnessing-and-advancement-of-nuclear-energy-for-transforming-india-bill-shanti-bill-2025/)\n\n### Mental health\n\nDrawing on her medical background, Sarkar made a special mention on April 3, 2025, calling for mental health awareness and government action after COVID-19, and on February 9, 2026, she raised the need for comprehensive measures to prevent and address suicides by young persons in the country.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar) On July 31, 2026, she raised the need to strengthen the system to prevent irregularities in examinations while safeguarding the mental wellbeing of students.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar)\n\n### Legislative record\n\nAccording to the parliamentary track record compiled by PRS Legislative Research, in the Lok Sabha (18th), for the period June 24, 2024 to August 13, 2026, Sarkar's attendance was 79 percent, against a national average of 85 percent; she took part in 12 debates, against a national average of 21.5; asked 48 questions, against a national average of 119.7; and introduced 0 private member's bills, against a national average of 0.4.[4](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar) Her recorded divisions show that on April 3, 2025, on the motion that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as amended, be passed, she voted No; the motion was adopted, 288 Ayes to 232 Noes, and the bill was passed.[10](https://sansad.in/api_ls/debate/debate-details?loksabha=18&sessionNumber=4&dbSlNo=2038) Most bills in Parliament pass by voice vote without a record of how individual members voted, and members are required to vote according to the party whip under the anti-defection law, failing which they can lose their seat.[11](https://prsindia.org/articles-by-prs-team/recording-each-vote)\n\n## References\n\n1. [TMC MP Sharmila Sarkar explains why she is leaving Mamata Banerjee's hand in TMC](https://tv9bangla.com/india/tmc-mp-sharmila-sarkar-explains-why-she-is-leaving-mamata-banerjees-hand-in-tmc-1319707.html)\n2. [Sharmila Sarkar, Lok Sabha member biography](https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5768?from=members)\n3. [Trinamool Congress Crisis Sharmila Sarkar: \"20 Trinamool MPs Forming New Bloc, Will Support NDA\": Rebel MP To NDTV](https://democraticvoiceusa.com/2026/06/08/trinamool-congress-crisis-sharmila-sarkar-20-trinamool-mps-forming-new-bloc-will-support-nda-rebel-mp-to-ndtv/)\n4. [Sharmila Sarkar, 18th Lok Sabha track record, PRS Legislative Research](https://prsindia.org/mptrack/18th-lok-sabha/sharmila-sarkar)\n5. [Dr Sharmila Sarkar's Zero Hour mention on instituting a stoppage at Bardhaman Station for Vande Bharat trains commencing from Howrah](https://aitcofficial.org/dr-sharmila-sarkars-zero-hour-mention-on-instituting-a-stoppage-at-bardhaman-station-for-vande-bharat-trains-commencing-from-howrah/)\n6. [Trinamool on brink of split as letter signed by 19 rebel MPs surfaces](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/trinamool-on-brink-of-split-as-letter-signed-by-19-rebel-mps-surfaces-bengal-parliament-faction-mamata-banerjee-101781312021138.html)\n7. [Rebel Trinamool faction to move LS Speaker for 'real TMC' status](https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Jun/12/rebel-trinamool-faction-to-move-ls-speaker-for-real-tmc-status-party-cites-anti-defection-law)\n8. [Making of the Trinamool rupture: How rebel MPs chose moment to strike](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/tmc-rebel-mps-nda-bloc-mamata-banerjee-crisis-10733274/)\n9. [Dr Sharmila Sarkar's speech on The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill (SHANTI Bill), 2025](https://aitcofficial.org/dr-sharmila-sarkars-speech-on-the-sustainable-harnessing-and-advancement-of-nuclear-energy-for-transforming-india-bill-shanti-bill-2025/)\n10. [Lok Sabha division, Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025](https://sansad.in/api_ls/debate/debate-details?loksabha=18&sessionNumber=4&dbSlNo=2038)\n11. [Recording each vote, PRS Legislative Research](https://prsindia.org/articles-by-prs-team/recording-each-vote)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › East and Central Indian politicians › Legislators and party leaders › Surnames N to S*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Sharmila Sarkar\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Sharmila Sarkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Sharmila Sarkar\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmila-sarkar. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Sharmila Sarkar, born 1979, is an Indian politician and former professor of psychiatry elected in 2024 to the Lok Sabha from Bardhaman Purba, West Bengal, for the Trinamool Congress." }