By Dharmesh Prajapati
KOLKATA — June 11, 2026
The organizational collapse within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has deepened significantly today as Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Prakash Chik Baraik tendered his resignation. This marks the third high-profile exit from the Upper House for the crisis-hit party within a span of just four days, severely undermining Mamata Banerjee’s leadership following her party’s loss of power in West Bengal last month.
The Domino Effect in Rajya Sabha
Baraik, a prominent tribal face of the TMC from North Bengal and a close associate of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, officially sent his resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan today.
His sudden departure follows a chaotic week for the TMC’s parliamentary bloc:
- Monday, June 8: Veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the Rajya Sabha and severed his ties with the party.
- Wednesday, June 10: Senior MP Sushmita Dev followed suit, completely deserting the TMC.
- Thursday, June 11: Prakash Chik Baraik became the third legislator to formally step down.
While internal party sources initially cited “family health issues” for Baraik’s temporary unavailability, his formal exit quickly exposed the deeper factional fault lines fracturing the party. Upon resigning, Baraik announced his intention to work under the leadership of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari moving forward.
A Party in Historic Attrition
The triple resignation highlights an existential crisis for the TMC, which recently saw its 15-year rule in West Bengal come to an end. The party’s central leadership, spearheaded by Derek O’Brien and Abhishek Banerjee, had reportedly been scrambling to pacify lawmakers to prevent an absolute exodus, but their efforts have failed to stem the tide.
Beyond the Rajya Sabha defections, the rebellion has caught fire in the Lok Sabha and State Assembly as well:
- At least 16 TMC Lok Sabha members have recently rebelled, demanding separate seating arrangements in parliament.
- In the West Bengal State Assembly, over 57 TMC MLAs have broken ranks to back alternative opposition leadership, compounding the absolute breakdown of party discipline.
As Abhishek Banerjee holds emergency meetings with senior opposition national leaders in New Delhi to explore survival strategies, the rapid loss of its parliamentary strength leaves the Trinamool Congress highly vulnerable on both state and national fronts.