West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukul Roy on Friday announced he was returning to the Trinamool Congress. Roy met with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the party office in Kolkata. His son Subhranshu Roy also returned to the TMC.
"I have joined TMC today. In the present circumstances, no one will stay in Bharatiya Janata Party," Mukul Roy told mediapersons after joining the TMC.
Welcoming him back, Mamata Banerjee said: "He will play an important role in the party." He was never a 'traitor' like the others, she added.
This comes as yet another heavy blow for the BJP after Mamata returned to power in the state with a landslide victory. Speculations of Mukul Roy's resentment with the BJP and his 'ghar wapsi' have been around for weeks.
Mukul Roy, an erstwhile strongman in the TMC and aide of Mamata Banerjee, had left the regional party and joined the BJP in November 2017. He was the first major TMC leader to switch over to the BJP. He played a key role in the furious growth of the BJP in the intervening period.
During the election campaign, Mamata Banerjee had refused to directly attack Mukul Roy even as she was aggressive against another turncoat, Suvendu Adhikari, who contested and won against her in Nandigram.
On Wednesday,speaking to the NDTV, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy suggested the possiblity of other leaders also following Roy back into the party. He said: "There are many people who are in touch with Abhishek Banerjee and they want to come back. I feel they betrayed the party in a time of need."
