TMC MP Koel Mallick Resigns from Rajya Sabha, Sparks Speculation of Joining BJP

In a surprising move, Koel Mallick, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), tendered her resignation from the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This decision marks her as the fourth TMC MP to step down following the party’s disappointing performance in the West Bengal Assembly elections held earlier this year, where they faced a significant defeat by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mallick’s resignation comes on the heels of the TMC’s diminishing presence in the Upper House of Parliament, which has now decreased to nine representatives from thirteen in May. Shortly after announcing her resignation, she was seen meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at his residence in Delhi, leading to rampant speculation about her potential switch to the BJP.

While Mallick did not provide any specific reasons for her departure in her resignation letter addressed to Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, the ongoing factional strife within the TMC could be influencing such decisions. The party has been grappling with internal conflicts since its electoral loss, with notable shifts occurring among its MPs.

Earlier in June, three other TMC MPs, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik, had also resigned from the Rajya Sabha and subsequently joined the BJP, indicating a troubling trend for the TMC. These defections have raised questions about the party’s stability and cohesion, particularly in the wake of significant electoral setbacks.

In a related development, a group of 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs recently approached Speaker Om Birla, seeking to merge their faction with the Nationalist Citizens’ Party, a party allied with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. This request further underscores the TMC’s struggles to maintain unity and loyalty among its ranks. Meanwhile, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has taken a firm stance against the dissenting MPs, urging the Speaker to disqualify them, thereby amplifying the ongoing tensions within the party.

Source: scroll.in