Trinamool Congress MP Prakash Chik Baraik has resigned from the Rajya Sabha, adding another jolt to the party at a time when its internal differences are spilling into the open.
Baraik’s exit is the third such resignation from the Upper House within a week, sharpening the focus on the churn inside the TMC as rebel leaders claim growing support while rejecting talk of any merger with the Congress.
In his resignation letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, Baraik said he was stepping down from the membership of the House with immediate effect.
“I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect,” the letter read, according to ANI.
Baraik also thanked the Chair and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their support during his tenure.
“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 said in the letter.
TMC rebel camp claims support of 64 MLAs
The resignation comes amid a deepening internal rift in the Trinamool Congress, with a series of resignations and assertions by rebel leaders raising questions over the party’s cohesion.
Rebel TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday told ANI that speculation about a merger between the dissident faction and the Congress was unfounded, insisting that the developments were internal to the party.
“The count is currently 64 (MLAs). These people will come and submit a letter to the Speaker,” Banerjee said, claiming that support for his faction had risen from 58 to 64 MLAs.
He said the group would soon approach the West Bengal Assembly Speaker to consolidate its position.
Banerjee also ruled out any move towards the Congress.
“Regarding a merger, as for our legislative party, we are certainly not joining the Congress. The MPs in Parliament, more than two-thirds of them, are not merging with the Congress either,” he said.
He maintained that MPs, municipal representatives, Zilla Parishad members and Panchayat members were not moving towards any merger.
“Who is merging with whom? There is no question of a merger at all,” he asserted.
Congress says it has no information on merger talk
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, meanwhile, distanced himself from the speculation, saying he was not aware of any such discussions involving the TMC and the Congress in Bengal.
“I have no information about any merger or such things involving Bengal,” Chowdhury told ANI.
He added that he remained “in the dark” on the matter and would comment only if a formal decision was communicated.
Sushmita Dev exit adds to TMC unease
Baraik’s resignation follows another high-profile exit from the party. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan accepted the resignation of MP Sushmita Dev with effect from June 10.
Dev had earlier quit the TMC, becoming one of the prominent names to leave the party amid the ongoing unrest.
After her resignation, Dev said she intended to focus on working in Assam. Her meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi triggered speculation of a possible political shift towards the BJP, though she said her decision was driven by personal and political reasons and denied allegations of opportunism.
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