Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata
Kolkata, Jun 11: In another setback for All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House on Thursday, becoming the third party MP to quit in recent days.
Baraik's resignation was accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan.
In his resignation letter, Baraik thanked the Chair and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their cooperation during his tenure.
“Respected Sir, I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect. I convey my sincere gratitude to your Excellency, Hon'ble Deputy Chairman and all functionaries of Rajya Sabha Secretariat extending all help and cooperation during my tenure as a Member of the Rajya Sabha,” he wrote.
With his resignation, the TMC's strength in the Rajya Sabha is set to fall to 10 members.
Speaking to reporters after stepping down, Baraik said, “Accepting the opinion given by the people of West Bengal, I have also submitted my resignation today.”
When asked whether he would join the Bharatiya Janata Party, he replied, “Time will tell.”
Baraik, a prominent tribal leader from Alipurduar district in northern West Bengal, was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in August 2023 on a TMC ticket. He was also serving as the party's district president in Alipurduar.
During his parliamentary tenure, he frequently raised issues concerning tea garden workers, including provident fund benefits, labour rights and access to welfare schemes.
His resignation comes a day after Sushmita Dev quit the party. Earlier this week, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy also resigned from both the TMC and the Rajya Sabha.
Reports suggest that more resignations could follow, with as many as three additional TMC Rajya Sabha MPs reportedly considering stepping down within the next week.
The developments come amid growing unrest within the party's legislative ranks. Reports indicate that 58 TMC MLAs defied the party leadership and backed Ritabrata Banerjee for the post of Leader of the Opposition, rejecting the party's official nominee, Shovandeb Chattopadhyay.
The rebellion is being viewed as one of the most serious internal challenges faced by Mamata Banerjee and the TMC in recent years, raising questions about unity within the party ahead of future political battles in West Bengal.