New Delhi: The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) experienced a further setback on Thursday when Prakash Chik Baraik, a party leader and member of the Rajya Sabha, submitted his resignation from the Upper House.
The development comes a day after senior TMC leader Sushmita Dev quit the party and resigned from the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Earlier, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had resigned from both the Trinamool Congress and the Rajya Sabha.
With Baraik’s exit, the Trinamool Congress’ strength in the Rajya Sabha falls to 10, as reported by The Tribune.
In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, Baraik wrote, “I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect”. Baraik was elected to the Upper House in August 2023.
Sushmita Dev cited “political and personal reasons” for her resignation. She declined to elaborate on future political plans or say which party she might join next, but she met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Shatabdi Roy, another TMC leader, backed the rebel faction led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, saying those leaving were not motivated by electoral losses but “due to a series of wrong decisions taken by the leadership.”
Roy also criticized the party’s functioning, alleging that supremo Mamata Banerjee had failed to recognise unfolding realities. She claimed Banerjee was “suffering from a mental blockage” and accused her of overlooking growing public dissatisfaction with her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. Roy said Mamata Banerjee’s failure to make Abhishek change his lifestyle was “a big mistake.”
