With Prakash Chik Baraik's resignation, the party's tally in the Rajya Sabha is expected to decline to 10 MPs. Sources also suggested that up to three additional TMC Rajya Sabha MPs may step down over the coming week, potentially worsening the crisis for the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
TMC faced another blow on Thursday as Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House. His departure follows the resignations of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev, bringing the number of TMC Rajya Sabha MPs who have quit in recent days to three.
With Baraik's exit, the party's strength in the Rajya Sabha is projected to drop to 10 MPs. Sources further indicated that as many as three more TMC Rajya Sabha MPs could tender their resignations within the next week, potentially intensifying the troubles for the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
In his initial response after stepping down from the Rajya Sabha, Baraik stated that his decision was not taken under pressure from the BJP. However, he added that he would follow whatever directions West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari gave him.
"I resigned after taking into account the mandate of the people of Bengal. From now on, I will do as the CM (Suvendu Adhikari) asks me to... I am not under any pressure from the BJP," he said.
The turmoil among TMC parliamentarians began with the resignation of Mamata Banerjee's close aide Sukhendu Sekhar Roy on Monday, while the TMC chief was in Delhi participating in a series of meetings with INDIA bloc leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, to formulate a nationwide opposition strategy against the BJP and discuss the future direction of her party after it suffered repeated setbacks following its heavy defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Day after day, Mamata's grip over her legislative party seems to be eroding, with 58 of her 80 MLAs reportedly backing rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. That figure has now climbed to 64, with Ritabrata -- who was selected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly by Mamata's own colleagues, much to her displeasure -- asserting that additional MLAs will join the rebel faction in the days ahead.
As Mamata's support base in the Assembly collapsed like a house of cards, the rebellion quickly extended to Delhi. In the Rajya Sabha, Roy, who had also served as the party's Chief Whip in the Upper House for 13 years, triggered a chain of resignations. He was followed by Sushmita Dev on Wednesday and Baraik on Thursday, with sources now suggesting that three more MPs could be preparing to exit before the close of next week.
However, the turmoil was not limited to the Bengal Assembly and the Rajya Sabha. It rapidly spread to the Lok Sabha as well. On Wednesday, as Mamata wrapped up her three-day visit to Delhi and returned to Kolkata, sources disclosed the names of 19 out of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs who are allegedly looking to break away from her and align with the NDA.
Led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, the splinter group within the Trinamool has approached the Speaker seeking formal recognition and has also conveyed its intention to back the NDA. However, one of the biggest shocks on the list was Saayoni Ghosh, the TMC MP from Jadavpur, who had initially declared her loyalty to Mamata following the party's Assembly setback. Also among the rebel Lok Sabha MPs are Yusuf Pathan and Shatrughan Sinha, both unexpected names in the breakaway camp.