Prakash Chik Baraik quits Trinamool Congress, third RS member to resign in 4 days
Synopsis
Prakash Chik Baraik is the third Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member to resign from both the Upper House and the party in just four days, cutting TMC's Rajya Sabha count to 10. Combined with a rebel bloc of 60 legislators in the West Bengal Assembly and mass Lok Sabha defections, the party is facing its most severe structural collapse since its founding — and the question of whether Mamata Banerjee can hold it together is no longer rhetorical.
Key Takeaways
Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Rajya Sabha and quit Trinamool Congress primary membership on 11 June .
He is the third TMC Rajya Sabha member to resign from both the Upper House and the party in four days , after Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev .
TMC's Rajya Sabha strength has fallen from 13 to 10 .
Baraik said he will work 'as per the instructions of the Chief Minister,' sparking speculation of a BJP join.
A rebel bloc of 60 out of 80 TMC state legislators has secured principal opposition status in the West Bengal Assembly, with Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of Opposition.
The crisis now spans the Lok Sabha , Rajya Sabha , and the West Bengal Assembly simultaneously.
Prakash Chik Baraik on Thursday, 11 June resigned from the Rajya Sabha and simultaneously quit the primary membership of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), becoming the third party MP to take such a step within four days. His departure further erodes the TMC's dwindling presence in the Upper House of Parliament.
What Baraik Said
Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation from the Rajya Sabha, Baraik cited the recent West Bengal Assembly election mandate as the reason for his decision. 'The recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections had given a specific mandate. So as a mark of respect to that specific mandate, I decided to resign from the Rajya Sabha. At the same time, I have also decided to quit the Trinamool Congress. In the coming days, I will be working as per the instructions of the Chief Minister,' he said.
The reference to 'the Chief Minister' — widely read as pointing to Suvendu Adhikari — has triggered speculation that Baraik may be on course to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), though no formal announcement has been made.
TMC's Shrinking Rajya Sabha Strength
Baraik's exit reduces Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha strength from 13 to 10. He follows Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev, who resigned from both the Upper House and the party in the preceding days. The rapid sequence of departures marks an accelerating haemorrhage from the party's parliamentary representation.
The Broader Collapse of TMC's Parliamentary Base
The Upper House erosion comes alongside a parallel unravelling in the lower chambers. A majority of TMC's Lok Sabha members have already turned rebel. In the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, a breakaway bloc of 60 out of 80 TMC legislators has secured the status of the principal opposition, with expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee recognised as the Leader of Opposition.
Notably, this is the most severe structural fracture the party has faced since its founding. The simultaneous collapse across the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and state assembly raises serious questions about the party's institutional survival as a coherent national force.
What This Means for Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee
The cascading resignations have sharpened scrutiny on former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who together have long controlled TMC's organisational machinery. Whether they can arrest the defections and reassert authority over the party's remaining MPs and legislators is now the central political question in Kolkata.
With simultaneous pressure in both Houses of Parliament and in the state assembly, the Trinamool Congress faces a reckoning that few in Indian politics have managed to reverse once it reaches this scale.
Point of View
The identical twin-resignation pattern (Upper House plus primary membership), and Baraik's pointed reference to 'the Chief Minister' all suggest a managed transition rather than spontaneous disillusionment. What mainstream coverage is underplaying is the structural significance: TMC is losing ground in every legislative chamber simultaneously, which makes a recovery far harder than a simple floor-management exercise. Mamata Banerjee has survived political crises before, but those were external. This one is internal, institutional, and accelerating.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Prakash Chik Baraik resign from the Rajya Sabha and Trinamool Congress?
Baraik cited the West Bengal Assembly election mandate as his reason, saying he resigned 'as a mark of respect to that specific mandate.' He also quit the primary membership of Trinamool Congress on the same day, 11 June.
Who are the other TMC MPs who resigned before Baraik?
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy was the first and Sushmita Dev was the second TMC Rajya Sabha member to resign from both the Upper House and the party in the four days preceding Baraik's exit.
What is TMC's current strength in the Rajya Sabha after these resignations?
Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha strength has dropped from 13 to 10 following the resignations of Roy, Dev, and Baraik within four days.
Is Prakash Chik Baraik joining the BJP?
No formal announcement has been made, but Baraik's statement that he will work 'as per the instructions of the Chief Minister' — widely interpreted as a reference to Suvendu Adhikari — has triggered speculation of a BJP join, according to reports.
How serious is the crisis facing Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress?
The crisis spans all three legislative chambers: a majority of TMC's Lok Sabha members have turned rebel, Rajya Sabha strength has fallen to 10, and in the West Bengal Assembly a bloc of 60 out of 80 TMC legislators has obtained principal opposition status. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee face mounting questions about whether they can retain control of the party.
