Blow for BJP as Mukul Roy back in TMC fold
KOLKATA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Mukul Roy returned to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after four years on Friday amid indications that more dissidents will follow him, dealing a body blow to BJP in a state it hoped to win two months ago.
Considered one of the architects of BJP’S rise in a state where it has traditionally struggled, Roy joined TMC at an event in Kolkata in the presence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
“Mukul is an old boy of our family. Old is always gold,” said Banerjee as Abhishek draped shawls around Roy and his son, former legislator Subhranshu Roy, who also switched from the BJP to the TMC.
“Nobody can stay in BJP. They do not allow anyone to live with dignity and peace. Mukul was pressured and threatened by probe agencies. His health was getting affected. He will have mental peace here,” Banerjee added.
Banerjee said more BJP leaders will join TMC but added that those who “betrayed” the party won’t be considered. “Mukul did not say a word against us during the elections. The traitors who left us during the polls and helped the BJP will not be taken back,” she said.
During the election campaign, Banerjee repeatedly called her protege-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari, who joined BJP last year and is now the leader of opposition, a traitor. Adhikari also threw barbs at her, accusing her of communal bias and calling her “Mamata Begum”. Sitting next to her, Roy said he never had any differences with Banerjee.