Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty on Monday resigned as member of the Rajya Sabha, to which he was nominated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He cited health reasons for the decision.
Rajya Sabha sources confirmed that he had sent in his resignation, and his TMC colleague Derek O’Brien confirmed the same. “He [Mr. Chakraborty] resigned from the Rajya Sabha on health grounds. We continue to share a warm relationship with him and his family and wish him a speedy recovery,” Mr. O’Brien said.
Mr. Chakraborty’s term was to run till 2020, but his continued absence and fleeting attendance in the Upper House had drawn the ire of his fellow MPs who felt that he was not pulling his weight as member of the House. In April, the matter was raised within the House as Mr. Chakraborty had applied for a leave of absence from the Rajya Sabha. Members like Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and former MP K.C. Tyagi of the Janata Dal (U) had raised questions over the fact that Mr. Chakraborty’s attendance was till that time was just 10% and that he hadn’t participated in a single debate in the House.
Mr. Chakraborty’s name had figured in the Sarada chit fund scam last year for his alleged involvement. He had been elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2014.
