Mukul Roy’s political alliance in question: Mamata Banerjee says he’s BJP MLA, however for BJP he is a “spent force”

The unanticipated arrival of Mukul Roy, one of the most high-profile political figures in West Bengal, in Delhi on Tuesday sparked a debate about the political leanings of the former railway minister with his son claiming that his father is unwell and not in the right frame of mind. He was even reported “missing” by his son Subhranshu at Kolkata’s NSCBI Airport police station . The same evening, Roy was seen in Delhi, claiming that he was still with the BJP and calling for “change” in the upcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal.

Mukul Roy, who was once the closest aide of Mamata Banerjee, left the Trinamool Congress in 2017 to join the BJP. He became an MLA on BJP ticket in 2021, but after the results were out he returned to the Trinamool fold. However, he did not resign as an MLA.

The uncertainty around Mukul Roy’s political connection grew deeper on Wednesday as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee affirmed him as an MLA of the BJP. “Mukul Roy is BJP’s MLA, it’s his affair if he wants to go to Delhi,” said the Trinamool chief, when asked about Mukul Roy’s latest moves.

Mukul Roy transited to the BJP and won the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, returned to Trinamool Congress citing mistreatment by the BJP leadership. The BJP attempted to have Roy’s membership in the West Bengal legislative assembly canceled, but the Speaker of the assembly, Biman Banerjee, rejected the petition, stating that Roy was still associated with the BJP.

When the disqualification petition was being heard in January, Roy’s lawyers argued that he had never left the BJP and that his visit to the TMC headquarters in June, where he was welcomed by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek in the presence of the media, was only a deferential gesture.

Meanwhile, Mukul Roy’s family, which had filed a missing complaint on Monday night, has accused the BJP of playing politics with an unwell leader who is not in the right frame of mind.

“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,” his son cited concerns over his illness and said his father’s statements should not be taken seriously since he suffers from “dementia and Parkinson’s disease”.

Mukul Roy underwent brain surgery, suffering from dementia, claim doctors. #MukulRoy #BengalPolitics #TMC #BJP https://t.co/Fod2gStfMB

— Republic (@republic) April 19, 2023

But Mukul Roy has dismissed all these concerns and accuses people of spreading rumours.

“I am absolutely fit and fine. Some people are spreading rumours that I am unwell, but this is not true. I am a BJP MLA and have come here to be with the party. I want to work for my party BJP,” and,”Previously I was in BJP and again I will be in the same party. If BJP entrusts me with responsibilities I will duly take it,” the 69-year-old politician said to news agency PTI.

He also stated,“There is no question of resigning from TMC. I am not even a part of it. I have already resigned from TMC,” and on being asked about his post-2021 stint with the TMC, Roy said, “I was not well at that point of time and was never mentally part of it.”

A founding member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), he switched ship in 2017 and played a role in empowering BJP’s organisation in West Bengal before returning back to the TMC fold after the BJP failed to unseat Mamata Banerjee in 2021. Now, Mukul Roy says he is still in the BJP – technically he is the party’s MLA – but neither the TMC nor the Opposition party in West Bengal want him.

BJP leaders in Bengal, however, said the party was no longer interested in Mukul’s return, called him a “spent force” and added it did not want him back.

“He (Mukul Roy) is a rejected leader. The BJP does not need him. We are not interested. Those who left the BJP after May 2021 when the party workers were being tortured in the state, cannot be a BJP leader,” said Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said that while Mukul remains a BJP MLA on paper, the party had sought his disqualification. “Of course, he is a BJP MLA as he won the Assembly election on a BJP ticket. People did not vote for him but for the BJP. After he returned to the TMC, we moved court seeking his disqualification as a BJP MLA. We cannot say anything more on this right now,” stated Majumdar.

Roy, who reached Delhi on Monday night, told a TV news channel that he would like to meet BJP president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. When asked why he came to Delhi without informing his family, Roy said, “I am free to go anywhere. I have heard that a missing person complaint was lodged. But it is a family matter and will be resolved. I am a BJP MLA. 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 J P Nadda.”

According to his doctors and his son Subhrangshu, Roy has been suffering from dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He also underwent a neurological operation of the brain last month.

Eminent Neurosurgeon Dr S N Singh, who has been treating the Bengal politician for quite some time, told PTI: “Mr Roy’s (physical) health has improved a lot compared to what it was a month back. He is physically fit to travel, but how much he has regained his mental functioning is yet to be ascertained … dementia can never be totally reversed and there is always a chance it may get worse with age.”

Roy, who was the second-in-command of the TMC and the party’s master strategist, joined the BJP in 2017. He was instrumental in helping BJP win 18 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections.

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