The Trinamool Congress’s parliamentary strength is coming under increasing pressure as the post-election rebellion within the party shows little sign of slowing down. On Thursday, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash
Chik Baraik became the third Trinamool MP in the Upper House to resign since the party’s crushing defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Announcing his decision, Baraik said, “I, respecting the opinion of the people of Bengal, have also submitted my resignation.”
His exit follows two earlier Rajya Sabha resignations – Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev – and has intensified speculation that more departures could be imminent.
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With Baraik’s resignation, Trinamool’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has fallen to 10 MPs. The remaining members are Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Samirul Islam, Rajeev Kumar, Maneka Guruswamy, Sagarika Ghosh, Babul Supriyo, Nadimul Haque, Koel Mallick and Mamata Bala Thakur.
The concern for the party leadership is that reports suggest at least three more Rajya Sabha MPs could quit in the coming days. If that happens, Trinamool’s strength in the Upper House would shrink further to just seven MPs.
Such a decline would mark a dramatic fall for a party that until recently projected itself as one of the BJP’s principal challengers at the national level. A seven-member contingent would significantly reduce Trinamool’s parliamentary presence and bargaining power within the opposition bloc.
The Rajya Sabha turmoil is unfolding alongside a growing rebellion in the Lok Sabha. At least 20 Trinamool Lok Sabha MPs have already submitted a letter to Speaker Om Birla expressing support for the NDA and seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc. The rebel camp, led by senior leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, is believed to be expanding.
Sources indicated on Thursday that veteran footballer-turned-politician and Lok Sabha MP Prasun Banerjee has also joined the group and signed the letter. If confirmed, it would further strengthen the rebels’ claim that they represent a substantial section of Trinamool’s parliamentary ranks.
Despite the exits, several Rajya Sabha MPs continue to stand firmly with Mamata Banerjee. Derek O’Brien and other loyalists have maintained that the party remains united under her leadership and have dismissed the resignations as isolated departures rather than evidence of a wider collapse.
However, the numbers are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Three Rajya Sabha MPs have already resigned, more departures are being discussed openly, and a sizeable group of Lok Sabha MPs is pushing for a separate identity within Parliament.
For Mamata Banerjee, the challenge is no longer confined to recovering from an electoral defeat. It is now also about preventing a steady erosion of Trinamool’s strength in Parliament, where every resignation further weakens the party’s national footprint.
