Another big blow to Mamata: Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik quits amid TMC turmoil

KOLKATA: In different setback for Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House connected Thursday, becoming the 3rd TMC subordinate of Parliament successful the Rajya Sabha to discontinue amid signs of increasing unrest wrong the party.His exit comes adjacent connected the heels of the resignations of chap TMC Rajya Sabha MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev, deepening concerns astir dissent wrong the enactment pursuing its caller governmental setbacks.Sushmita Dev resigned from some the Rajya Sabha and the TMC connected Wednesday, becoming the 2nd dissident Upper House subordinate to permission the enactment aft Roy. Her resignation came soon aft a gathering with Assam main curate Himanta Biswa Sarma successful Delhi, fuelling speculation that she whitethorn beryllium headed to the BJP.Last week's rebellion dealt a large stroke to the TMC, with 58 of its 80 MLAs breaking distant from the authoritative legislature enactment and securing designation arsenic the main absorption radical successful the West Bengal Assembly nether expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. The rebel campy has since claimed that adjacent much legislators person joined its ranks.The turmoil soon spilled implicit to Parliament. A radical of rebel MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed the backing of much than 20 Lok Sabha members, with Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh and Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy joining the dissident campy connected Wednesday.

Apart from Ghosh Dastidar and Roy, the faction is said to see Abu Taher, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Jagadish Basunia, Prasun Banerjee, Sharmila Sarkar, Satabdi Roy, Yusuf Pathan, June Malia, Khalilur Rahaman, Bapi Halder, Rachana Banerjee, Mitali Bag, Dev Adhikari and Partha Bhowmick. Although reports suggested that Shatrughan Sinha was besides among the rebels, TMC leaders importune the actor-politician continues to enactment Mamata Banerjee.Ghosh Dastidar has announced that the rebel MPs mean to constitute to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing enactment for the NDA government, though nary specified missive has been made nationalist truthful far.Amid speculation astir a imaginable divided successful the party, a elder TMC MP stressed that a favoritism exists betwixt a governmental enactment and its parliamentary wing."There is simply a quality betwixt a governmental enactment and a parliamentary party," helium said, arguing that MPs cannot simply make a abstracted parliamentary radical aft breaking away.

Under anti-defection rules, helium noted, the lone way disposable is simply a merger supported by astatine slightest two-thirds of members.Drawing comparisons with akin situations successful different parties, including the AAP, the MP maintained that the law presumption regarding parliamentary parties remains clear.In an evident swipe astatine immoderate of the dissidents, helium besides reminded them of the party's agelong governmental journey. "The TMC has been warring since 1998.

Those who joined aboriginal person not witnessed that struggle," helium said.Meanwhile, Ritabrata Banerjee asserted that his faction represents the "real TMC" and categorically ruled retired immoderate merger with the Congress.Claiming the enactment of a bulk of the party's MLAs and a increasing fig of MPs, Banerjee said the rebel radical would proceed to run nether the Trinamool Congress banner."We are the existent Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress," helium said successful Kolkata, adding that MLAs, MPs and organisational leaders aligned with his campy reason immoderate merger connection and are determined to prosecute an autarkic governmental path.(With PTI inputs)