TMC Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigns, third Upper House member to quit

In yet another setback to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), reeling under a series of resignations by MPs, another Rajya Sabha member, Prakash Chik Baraik, resigned on Thursday (June 11). The development comes days after the resignations of two other MPs in the Upper House, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev.

Another Rajya Sabha exit

“I do hereby resign from the membership of the Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect,” stated Barik.

“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 added in his resignation letter.

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With Baraik's exit, the TMC's tally in the Rajya Sabha is expected to come down to 10 members. According to an India Today report, quoting party sources, as many as three more TMC MPs in the Upper House are reportedly weighing resignation over the coming days.

Cracks within Parliamentary ranks

The unrest within the party's parliamentary ranks first surfaced on Monday when Roy, long regarded as one of Banerjee's closest confidants, stepped down from the Rajya Sabha.

His resignation came at a time when the TMC supremo was in Delhi holding consultations with INDIA bloc leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, on opposition unity against the BJP and charting the party's political course after its crushing defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Also Read: TMC on the brink: Parliamentary split, CID searches and growing rebellion

Signs of strain had already become evident within the legislative wing of the party. What began as a challenge from rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee steadily gathered momentum, with support from a substantial section of TMC legislators.

The report further stated that the number of MLAs backing the dissident camp has climbed from 58 to 64. Ritabrata, who was elected Leader of the Opposition by legislators aligned against Mamata despite her objections, has maintained that additional MLAs are likely to join his camp in the days ahead.

Turmoil spreads beyond Assembly

The turmoil that gripped the Bengal Assembly soon appeared to spill over into Parliament. Roy's resignation was followed by that of Dev on Wednesday and Baraik on Thursday.

Also Read: Sushmita Dev resigns from Rajya Sabha, deepening TMC crisis

The uncertainty has not remained confined to the Assembly or the Upper House. On Wednesday, even as Mamata Banerjee wrapped up her three-day Delhi visit and returned to Kolkata, reports emerged that 19 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs were exploring the possibility of breaking ranks and extending support to the NDA.

The group, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has reportedly approached the Speaker seeking formal recognition as a separate bloc while signaling its willingness to back the NDA.