With several leaders in the state unit expressing their resentment after the party›s election loss, the BJP has launched efforts to unite its Bengal unit.
BJP vice-president Mukul Roy skipped a party meet in Kolkata called by state chief Dilip Ghosh. Roy has been silent, but his son Shubranshu has not ruled out a return to the Trinamool Congress.
Mukul Roy’s silence on speculation that he is heading back to Mamata Banerjee›s Trinamool Congress has not helped. If speculation is to be believed, Roy’s days in the BJP are numbered. He is frequently meeting with followers at his home in Salt Lake. Followers from different districts of South Bengal come to meet Mukul Roy almost every day. It is clear that Mukul Roy’s distance with the BJP has grown. A close associate of Roy said: “Dada is busy with a meeting. Just wait. On 21 July, you will see what Mukul Roy can deliver.”
Mukul Roy had joined the BJP long ago. The mutual dislike between Roy and state president Dilip Ghosh has been known within the BJP for long, but has not been out in the open till now. Mukul Roy’s son Shubranshu’s critical Facebook post and various public statements have added to the buzz. In fact, Mukul Roy did not criticize his son’s statement. The BJP state leadership sees no reason to think that Mukul Roy has no “approval” in that criticism, because, though he has not opened his mouth about leaving the party etc, and kept his cards close to his chest, Mukul Roy has now started to openly distance himself from the BJP.
Will the Trinamool Congress take him back if Mukul Roy expresses his desire, especially when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seems to be in no hurry on taking a final decision on the return of the turncoat leaders? Mukul Roy left the Trinamool Congress as he allegedly had a rift with Abhishek Banejee. Now, the situation has changed. Now, Subhendu Adhikari is the main opponent to Abhishek Banerjee. TMC insiders say that Mukul Roy left TMC to escape the heat of the Saradha and Narada scams. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the central leadership of the BJP depended heavily on Mukul Roy and the BJP won 18 seats. Amit Shah publicly gave credit to Mukul Roy. But in the recent Assembly elections, BJP depended on Subhendu Adhikari and Mukul Ray was an organiser.
The question that is doing the rounds is: if Mukul Roy really leaves the BJP with his followers and joins the TMC, will the Saradha-Narda case return to haunt him?
Mukul Roy’s followers think Opposition leader Subhendu Adhikari is in a more “sensitive” position than Mukul Roy in the Narada case; even in the Saradha case, it will be “very difficult to frame dada at this stage”. According to some BJP leaders, Roy is indulging in pressure tactics and he had done this before.