Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Mukul Roy’s ‘disappearance’ from Kolkata before his eventual ‘reappearance’ in New Delhi had left the rumour mills abuzz of his possible return to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On Thursday, the senior politician tried to dispel all the gossip surrounding him, but it only ended up raising more questions.
Speaking about his rejoining the BJP, the party that he helped grow since joining in 2017, before ‘leaving’ in 2021, the 68-year-old MLA, said, “There is no question of rejoining. I have been with the BJP. I am with the BJP. I will be with the BJP.”
After switching allegiances to the BJP, Roy apparently returned to the TMC in 2021 following the Mamata Banerjee-led party’s win in the assembly election.
However, seven months later, his lawyer told the Speaker of the West Bengal assembly that he was still in the BJP. The submission helped him escape disqualification under the anti-defection law but put a big question mark on his political future.
Wearing a saffron-coloured waistcoat, Roy said, “I never backstabbed the BJP. I was not well for quite some time and so I was away from the limelight.”
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When questioned about his sharing dais with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Roy said, “I have not joined TMC. I had conversations with him. He had offered to join the party, but I did not.”
There is also speculation that despite BJP national president JP Nadda offering him the key responsibility of strategizing ahead of the panchayat election and, most importantly, next year’s general election, Roy insisted on meeting with Union Home minister Amit Shah while he bided his time.
“There is no such thing,” Roy said while addressing whether he was rigid in his decision to meet Shah. “When I was with the BJP, the party did well last time (in West Bengal). And now (since he is back), the party will do well too,” he said, adding, “If the party gives me space, then I will surely look to put it in a good space.”
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Talking about the speculations surrounding his ‘disappearance’, Roy said, “Earlier, I used to come to Delhi every now and then. But in the last year, I have been travelling less.”
“The only thing this time is that I came on my own. I did not even discuss my coming with my family,” Roy said, adding, “I have no fight with anyone, including my family.”
Dismissing suggestions that he is in Delhi to save his son from central investigation agencies that are investigating the Bengal SSC scam case, Roy said, “He (his son and former TMC MLA Subhranshu Roy) is an adult now. He can defend himself. There is nothing to save him. He is an upright person.”
Roy also said that he has come to New Delhi for some personal work and that he will leave once the work is done. “I have some work. I have to meet some people. I will do my work and then I will return,” he said. Roy, however, did not elaborate on the people he wanted to meet.