NEW DELHI: After resigning from the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Trinamool Congress MP Prakash Chik Baraik said he stepped down after concluding that the mandate in West Bengal was in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Baraik, the third TMC parliamentarian to quit this week, also stated he would follow the instructions of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and insisted he was not being pressured by the BJP.
Baraik's Resignation and Rationale
Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation, Baraik explained that the electoral verdict in West Bengal convinced him it was no longer appropriate to continue in his position. "I resigned after considering the mandate of the people of Bengal. Now, I will do as the CM (Suvendu Adhikari) asks me to... I am not being pressurised by BJP," he said.
Elaborating further, Baraik noted: "The mandate in West Bengal... the verdict of the people in this democratic country was in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the party formed the government there. In my own constituency, we did not win even a single seat. The results in North Bengal were also not good. Looking at this mandate, I felt that it was no longer appropriate for me to continue in my position. Therefore, I resigned both from my post and from the party."
When asked about his future plans, Baraik said, "As for what lies ahead, please wait and watch. Things will unfold in due course. Look, I am not very old. What I will do in politics in the future is something that time will decide. Please wait and let time reveal the answer."
Baraik met Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan and submitted his resignation, sources confirmed. In his resignation letter, the West Bengal MP wrote: "I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect." He also thanked the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their support during his tenure.
A tribal leader from West Bengal, Baraik served on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the Consultative Committee on Tribal Affairs.
Third TMC MP to Quit This Week
Baraik's resignation comes amid a series of high-profile exits from the Trinamool Congress. On Wednesday, former Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from both the party and the Upper House. Explaining her decision, she said she did not want to be "in two boats at the same time." "I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. That is not the right way to do it... because with the family background and upbringing I have, I have never stayed in one party and served another party," she stated. When asked about reports of joining the BJP, Dev said, "When I take a decision, I will let you know." Her subsequent meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma further fuelled speculation about her next political move.
Earlier this week, Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray also resigned from the Upper House and later quit the Trinamool Congress, citing differences with the party leadership.
Rebellion Deepens Within TMC
With Baraik's resignation, the TMC has now lost three Rajya Sabha MPs in a matter of days, adding to the challenges facing the party after its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. The party is also grappling with an internal rebellion that has weakened its parliamentary and organisational structure.
Sources in the rebel camp claim they have secured the support of at least 19 Lok Sabha MPs — more than two-thirds of the party's strength in the House — and are preparing to stake claim to the party's parliamentary wing. This move mirrors developments in the West Bengal Assembly, where a majority of rebel MLAs have already taken control of the party's legislative wing.
The rebel bloc is expected to align with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre. Among the names being linked to the group are several prominent TMC MPs, including Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy, both considered close to Mamata Banerjee. Rebel MP Satabdi Roy said, "I do not know whether Saayoni has signed (the letter from the rebel bloc to the Speaker), but the others did."
Sources also indicated that rebel MPs and MLAs may jointly stake claim to the Trinamool Congress, a strategy similar to the one adopted by breakaway factions of the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra, both of which were later recognised by the Election Commission as the original parties and subsequently aligned with the BJP.
