Published By: Poorva Joshi
Last Updated: April 19, 2023, 3:53 PM IST
Mukul Roy won the 2021 assembly polls on a BJP ticket and later returned to the TMC after the results were announced (Image/ ANI File)
Mukul Roy, who on Monday night travelled to New Delhi for ‘some personal work’, even as his family initially claimed that he was ‘missing’
With political circles guessing veteran Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy’s next move, the leader has himself dropped a big hint, indicating he would soon be rejoining the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Roy travelled to New Delhi for “some personal work”, even as his family initially claimed that he was “missing”.
However, speaking to a Bengali news channel on Tuesday, Roy most definitely hinted at joining the saffron party, as he said, “I am a BJP legislator. I want to be with the BJP. The party has made arrangements for my stay here. I want to meet Amit Shah and speak to (party president) J P Nadda.”
The development comes even as State parliamentary affairs minister and TMC leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay accused the BJP of indulging in dirty politics, a PTI report said.
Mukul Roy’s Journey From TMC to BJP And Back
Mukul Roy is one of the founding members of TMC and switched to the BJP in 2017. He won in the 2011 West Bengal assembly election, and later returned to the Trinamool Congress without resigning from the House.
According to reports, Roy said he was not keeping well for quite some time, but would again like to be active in politics. He said he is “100 per cent confident that he would never be associated with the TMC”. Roy also had a piece of advice for his son Subharanghsu. “He too should join the BJP as it would suit him best,” he said.
Suspense Over Mukul Roy’s Delhi Visit
Mukul Roy’s whereabouts were a point of conversation since late Monday evening when the family members of the TMC leader claimed he was “untraceable”. After reaching Delhi last night, Roy told reporters that he reached the national capital but had “no specific agenda”.
“I have come to Delhi. There is nothing specific agenda. I have been an MP for several years. Can I not come to Delhi? Earlier, I used to come to Delhi regularly. I am an MLA and MP of Delhi,” he had said.
The former railway minister’s son Subhrangshu had told PTI that his father was “untraceable” and “missing” since late Monday evening.
Subhrangshu Claims Father Mukul is ” Extremely Unwell”
As there was speculation that Roy could rejoin the BJP, Subhrangshu, who too had switched over to the saffron camp, said his father is “extremely unwell” and suffers from “dementia and Parkinson’s disease”. “My father is not in the right frame of mind. I would request everyone not to do politics with an unwell person. After he went missing, I had also filed a police complaint last night,” he told reporters.
Roy’s son also claimed that his father had undergone “brain surgery” last month and failed to recognise even family members and close associates.
Subhrangshu claimed when he came to know on Monday night that the TMC leader was travelling to Delhi by air, he had requested the authorities to de-board him, but by then, “the flight had taken off”.
BJP Not Interested To Have Mukul Roy Back?
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, however, said that the saffron camp is not interested in “inducting Roy back into the party.” Meanwhile, the Airport police station under the Bidhannagar police commissionerate questioned Pijush Kanodia, a BJP leader and once a close associate of Mukul Roy, during his stint in the saffron camp.
Roy joined the BJP in 2017 following differences with the TMC leadership. He was made BJP national vice president in 2020.
Read all the Latest Politics News here