Rukmini Mallick, known widely by her screen name Koel Mallick, a prominent actress in the Bengali film industry and a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), formally resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 16, 2026. Her departure marks the fourth resignation by a TMC lawmaker in the upper house of Parliament within a span of just a few days, signaling what appears to be a coordinated wave of exits rather than a single, isolated development.
Mallick's resignation follows those of three other TMC Rajya Sabha members — Prakash Chik Baraik, Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy — all of whom stepped down before her and subsequently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The pattern of resignations gathered momentum after these lawmakers filed nominations on July 13 for upcoming Rajya Sabha byelections, scheduled for July 24. The swift succession of departures in the days since has drawn considerable attention to the internal dynamics within the TMC.
The Rajya Sabha, or Council of States, is the upper house of India's bicameral Parliament, whose members are typically elected by state legislative assemblies or, in some cases, nominated for their contributions to fields such as art, literature, science and social service. Mallick was among those brought into the chamber for her standing in the entertainment industry rather than through a traditional political career, a background that makes her exit somewhat different in character from that of career politicians leaving a party.
In her resignation letter, submitted to Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, who also serves as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Mallick did not offer any explanation for her decision. The absence of a stated reason has left observers and party insiders to speculate about what prompted her departure, particularly since her term had been expected to run until 2032. She had been nominated to the Rajya Sabha alongside other notable figures, including former West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo, underscoring the broader effort by the TMC to bring recognizable public figures into its parliamentary ranks.
Unlike the three MPs who preceded her and moved directly to the BJP, Mallick had not been seen as deeply engaged in day-to-day political affairs during her tenure, making her resignation appear, at least on the surface, more like a quiet withdrawal than an overt political rebellion. That impression, however, was complicated by developments shortly after she stepped down: Mallick met with Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav at his residence in New Delhi. While no official statement has clarified the purpose of the meeting, the timing has fueled speculation about whether she, too, may be moving toward alignment with the BJP, following the path already taken by her three former colleagues.
The resignations in the Rajya Sabha are only one part of a larger picture of turbulence within the TMC. The party is simultaneously contending with defections of at least 20 members of Parliament on the Lok Sabha side, the lower house of India's Parliament, suggesting that the pressures facing the party are not confined to one chamber or one set of leaders but are being felt across its parliamentary representation. Such simultaneous losses in both houses would represent a significant erosion of a party's presence in the national legislature, affecting its ability to influence debates, voting outcomes and legislative business.
Compounding these losses at the national level, the TMC is also facing what appears to be a serious internal challenge within West Bengal's state assembly. A faction reportedly led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee has, according to available accounts, gathered support from more than 65 of the party's 80 members of the Legislative Assembly. A rebellion of that scale within the state legislature would point to discontent running far deeper than routine political disagreement, potentially threatening the party's organizational cohesion at a foundational level.
With the departures of Mallick and the three MPs before her, the TMC's total strength in the Rajya Sabha falls from 13 seats to nine, a reduction that diminishes the party's voice and voting power in the upper house at a time when it is already under pressure elsewhere. Party chief Mamata Banerjee has responded publicly by defending her nephew and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, declaring, "I will not die until I defeat BJP." The statement reflects a defiant posture, though it remains to be seen whether such resolve will be sufficient to stem further defections or reassure a party base unsettled by the reported scale of internal dissent.
- Koel Mallick becomes the fourth TMC Rajya Sabha MP to resign in days, following Prakash Chik Baraik, Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, all of whom joined the BJP.
- TMC's Rajya Sabha strength drops from 13 to nine members following the resignations, which came after nominations were filed July 13 for byelections set for July 24.
- A faction led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee has reportedly drawn support from over 65 of the TMC's 80 MLAs, alongside separate defections of at least 20 Lok Sabha MPs.
- Mamata Banerjee has vowed to defend Abhishek Banerjee and continue opposing the BJP, even as questions remain about Mallick's next political move following her meeting with Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav.
