West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and MLA Mukul Roy appear to be on the same page amid claims and counterclaims over the latter's party membership. Confusion prevailed on Wednesday after Mukul Roy, a former Union minister, expressed his desire to be back in the BJP fold saying he has resigned from Trinamool Congress, while his son, Subhrangshu Roy, maintained that the statement should not be taken seriously since his father is "extremely unwell" and suffers from "dementia and Parkinson's disease". (Also Read | 'Will resign if...': Mamata Banerjee's dare over TMC's 'national' party status)
A missing complaint regarding Mukul Roy was lodged at Kolkata's NSCBI Airport police station by his son on Monday night. When asked about the reason for filing a missing report, Subhrangshu said, "I know he has gone to Delhi but I do not know where in Delhi he has gone. My father is not well. His phone is also switched off," and added that his father had brain surgery a few days ago.
Roy surfaced dramatically in Delhi after the missing person complaint was filed, and claimed that he is a "BJP MP and MLA" and wants to meet Amit Shah.
"I am a BJP legislator. 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 (party president) J P Nadda,” he told a Bengali news channel late on Tuesday evening.
“I was not keeping well for quite some time, so I was away from politics. But right now, I am fine and would again be active in politics," Roy said.
{{/usCountry}}“I was not keeping well for quite some time, so I was away from politics. But right now, I am fine and would again be active in politics," Roy said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari ruled out the possibility of Roy's return to the BJP.
"We are not interested in inducting such people into the party. We are now busy strengthening our organisation at the booth level," he said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Subhrangshu said Roy's statement about returning to the BJP should not be taken seriously.
"I have heard what my father said. He needs medical attention. He has physical and neurological problems. Those trying to use my father to serve their political interests should be ashamed of themselves," said Subharanghsu, who is a former MLA.
"He is extremely unwell and suffers from dementia and Parkinson's disease," he added.
On Wednesday, Mukul Roy said that he has resigned from the TMC and if BJP entrusts him with the responsibility he will take it.
Addressing the press conference in Delhi, Mukul Roy said, "There is no question of resigning from TMC. I am not even a part of it. I have already resigned from TMC".
"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," he added.
Reacting to the dramatic situation, Mamata Banerjee said, "Mukul Roy is BJP's MLA, it's his affair if he wants to go to Delhi."
Roy had won the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections on a BJP ticket after defecting from TMC but had later crossed back to the party he helped found, complaining of ill-treatment at the hands of the saffron party's leadership. After Roy joined TMC, BJP filed a petition demanding the cancellation of his membership from the West Bengal legislative assembly but Speaker Biman Banerjee dismissed the petition saying he was still with the BJP.
In January, when the disqualification petition was being heard by the Speaker, Roy’s lawyers pleaded that he never left the BJP. They argued that Roy’s visit to the TMC headquarters - where he was greeted by Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek on June 11 in the presence of the media - was a mere courtesy call.