- Koel Mallick resigned as TMC Rajya Sabha MP.
- Submitted resignation to Vice President CP Radhakrishnan.
- Another setback for TMC before Monsoon Session.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suffered another major setback after actress-turned-politician Koel Mallick, a TMC Rajya Sabha MP from the state, resigned from her post. The Trinamool Congress has been hit by a wave of resignations and an unprecedented rebellion following defeat in the state polls in May.
Koel Mallick met Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan and submitted her resignation. "I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect," Koel stated in her letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman. The resignation comes at a crucial time when the monsoon session of parliament is scheduled for July 20.
ALSO READ: ‘Mamata’s Leadership Is Focused On Promoting Abhishek Banerjee’: Madan Mitra After TMC Exit
TMC MPs Who Have Resigned So Far
The list includes Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik. All three joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The trio filed their Rajya Sabha nominations on a BJP ticket on Monday.
On Wednesday, one of her most trusted aides of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Madan Mitra, joined the rebel group of TMC MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee.
Mitra, an MLA from the Kamarhati seat in North 24 Parganas district, said that he has resigned from all national and state committees functioning under the Mamata Banerjee-aligned TMC and also stepped down from the party's chief whip post with immediate effect.
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"I have only changed my room, not my house. I am very much in the TMC," the Kamarhati MLA said after joining the rebel group of MLAs. Mitra's resignation is the latest setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction.
Mitra cited issues with the handling of the party and the sidelining of senior leaders by Abhishek Banerjee. "I had suggested to Abhishek Banerjee that he step aside for six months or a year. I told him, let us build the party, and then you can come back and take your seat but he refused," Mitra said.
"He said, I won't leave the party. The party is sinking; the boat has gone under. People are dying. Yet, the party decided or rather it was forced to accept that everyone else could die, but Abhishek had to be saved," he added.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has strongly defended her nephew and TMC national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee amid the resignations. Her statement came after Mitra's resignation.
Mamata Backs Abhishek
Responding to the criticism, Banerjee addressed party workers through a Facebook Live session, dismissing allegations against Abhishek. Notably, while announcing his exit, Mitra said he was "unable to work effectively" within the party and alleged that the TMC had become more focused on promoting Abhishek Banerjee. She accused rebel leaders of using him as a scapegoat to justify their departure from the party.