After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national Vice-President Mukul Roy’s return to the Trinamool Congress on Friday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a press conference expressing her implacable stance on other BJP leaders looking to join the TMC, saying that the party will only consider people who are ‘sober’ and not ‘bitter’.
“Those who had criticised the party and betrayed it before elections to go to BJP for money, shall not be considered (for return to the party).”West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
The CM’s remarks came while answering a question regarding the speculations surrounding further exits from the BJP. Her comment was seemingly aimed at her former aide Suvendu Adhikari, who had defected from the TMC ahead of the state’s Assembly elections.
IANS quoted the CM as saying, "Even when he (Roy) was in the BJP, he never said anything against me or the party. He has always been good with our party leaders. Even during the elections, he was quiet about our party."
Upon being asked about Suvendu Adhikari, the CM said that the press conference was “over”.
‘More Will Come’
Banerjee, however, said that more people from the BJP will join the Trinamool, but refused to disclose any name.
Earlier, addressing the Press on his return to the TMC, Roy, according to ANI, had said: “I have joined TMC today. In the present circumstances, no one will stay in Bharatiya Janata Party.”
Meanwhile, as per BJP General Secretary Sayantan Bose, the party’s West Bengal unit has set up a disciplinary action committee to take action against leaders who are going against the party, ANI reported.
“State President Dilip Ghosh will take the final decision. The committee had been set up last year, but it is never too late,” ANI quoted Bose as saying.
Mukul Roy’s Return
Four years after defecting to the BJP, Roy, a founding member of the TMC, rejoined the party on Friday, 11 June, in Kolkata.
His son Subhranshu also joined the TMC.
Roy, who contested the Assembly elections after nearly two decades, won his Krishnanagar Dakshin seat on a BJP ticket. However, during the BJP campaign, he was evidently sidelined.
This was after the BJP “rewarded” him with the post of vice-president following the saffron party's remarkable performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP won 18 out of the 42 seats in Bengal in that election, and Roy was slated to be the strong organisational mind behind it.
But as the Delhi high command took over the Bengal campaign, Roy started being increasingly ‘less central’ to the party’s plans in the state. In the meanwhile, the party also got a more “high-profile” star acquisition – former TMC minister Suvendu Adhikari.
According to sources, the elevation of Adhikari, who contested against Mamata Banerjee in the recently concluded state elections, added fuel to the fire that was the rift between Roy and the BJP.
Since the election results, there had been speculations of Roy making a comeback to the TMC.
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