Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP and Bengali actor Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, resigned from the Upper House on Thursday, dealing another setback to the party led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Her resignation comes just months after she took oath as a Member of Parliament in April and amid a period of political turbulence for the TMC following its defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.
In her resignation letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan, Mallick requested that her resignation be accepted with immediate effect. "I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect," she wrote. She also expressed gratitude to the Chair and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their support during her tenure. "I convey my sincere gratitude to your Excellency, Hon'ble Deputy Chairman and all functionaries of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat extending all help and cooperation during my tenure as a Member of the Rajya Sabha," the letter stated.
Mallick has not publicly disclosed the reasons behind her decision to step down from Parliament. The TMC has also not issued an official statement explaining the resignation or indicating whether it was prompted by political or personal considerations. The absence of an immediate explanation has fuelled speculation, but no official confirmation has been provided regarding the circumstances surrounding her departure.
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Her resignation follows another setback for the party after senior TMC leader and MLA Madan Mitra joined the rebel camp in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly a day earlier. The developments come as the party seeks to recover from its heavy defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently concluded state Assembly elections. The electoral setback has intensified internal challenges for the TMC, with several political developments raising questions about party unity and its future strategy.
Koel Mallick, one of the most prominent actors in the Bengali film industry, entered Parliament earlier this year after being nominated by the TMC to the Rajya Sabha. Her resignation brings an abrupt end to a brief parliamentary tenure. As of now, neither Mallick nor the party has indicated whether she intends to continue in active politics or focus on other pursuits.
The latest resignation adds to the political challenges facing the TMC leadership at a time when the party is attempting to reorganise following its electoral defeat. Attention is now likely to turn to the party's response and the process of filling the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, while political observers await further clarification from Mallick regarding the reasons behind her decision.
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