Mukul Roy yet to approach BJP, says Shiv Prakash

Kolkata: Former Trinamul Congress strongman Mukul Roy is in talks with BJP leaders but has not formally approached the party for his induction, BJP national joint general secretary Shiv Prakash said on Wednesday. There has been speculation that Mr Roy, who was recently suspended from the Trinamul Congress, would join the BJP, which was seeking to expand its base in the key eastern state.

“The final decision in this regard will be taken by the party high command after consultation with the state unit. We will take a call after we receive a request,” he told PTI. He said Mr Roy has been in touch with BJP leaders for quite some time but the party is yet to receive any formal request from him regarding his induction.

Several state party leaders are vehemently opposed to Mr Roy’s induction into the party. When asked about the party leaders opposed to his induction, Mr Prakash said, “When party takes a decision, opinion of everybody is taken, then party takes a call.”

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo on Wednesday lauded Mr Roy for his organisational capabilities. “The decision on whether to induct him or not will be taken by our party high command. I cannot comment on it, as I don't have any information on it. But I must say that Mukul Roy is a good organiser and is known for his organisational capabilities,” he said after a party meeting here.

Meanwhile, Mr Roy, on Wednesday sent his greetings to state BJP leaders on the occasion of Bijaya Dashami. Mr Roy, a former close confidante of West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, had said on September 25 that he would resign from the Trinamul Congress, after Durga Puja prompting the party to suspend him for six years for “anti-party activities”.

Once the second-in-command in the Trinamul Congress, Mr Roy has been maintaining distance from the party leadership for the past few months. He was removed as the Trinamul Congress  vice-president after the party decided to revamp its structure. Senior leaders of the state BJP, including its joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash, on Tuesday held a brainstorming session at the party’s state headquarters on various organisational issues being faced by the saffron outfit in West Bengal.

According to BJP sources, although the meeting was scheduled to focus only on the organisational aspects, the issue of Mr Roy was also likely to come up as several leaders of the party were opposed to inducting the suspended TMC leader into it. 

Mr Roy, a former close confidante of West Bengal CM and  TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, had on September 25 said that he would resign from the party after Durga Puja, prompting the party to suspend him for six years for “anti- party activities”.

Once the second-in-command in the TMC, Mr Roy has been maintaining a distance with the party leadership for the last few months. He was removed as the  Trinamul Congress vice-president after the party decided to revamp its structure.  He was earlier removed as the party’s in-charge of Tripura, where the  TMC was making inroads till some of its members switched to the BJP.