Mukul Roy resigns as chairman of Bengal’s Public Accounts Committee
The BJP had earlier even moved court against the decision of appointing Roy as the PAC chairman. The matter reached the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, referred the matter to the Calcutta high court which later asked the speaker to review the BJP’s petition and announce his decision within a month
Mukul Roy, who joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) but is still officially a legislator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), resigned as the chairman of the public accounts committee (PAC) of the West Bengal assembly on Monday.
Roy, who is a founder member of the TMC, was a national vice-president in the BJP which he joined in 2017 following differences with chief minister Mamata Banerjee. He returned to the TMC in June last year. He was subsequently made the chairman of the PAC by Biman Banerjee, speaker of the West Bengal legislative assembly.
Earlier this month, however, Banerjee ruled that Roy was still with the BJP dismissing a petition filed by Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, seeking Roy’s disqualification as a legislator under the anti-defection law.
The BJP had earlier even moved court against the decision of appointing Roy as the PAC chairman. The matter reached the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, referred the matter to the Calcutta high court which later asked the speaker to review the BJP’s petition and announce his decision within a month.
“Roy was appointed as the chairman of the PAC following all legalities of the state legislative assembly. If he has resigned, it may be due to some personal reasons. I am not sure,” said Tapas Roy, TMC spokesperson.
Even though Roy could not be contacted, a senior TMC leader said that Roy has reportedly resigned on health grounds.
“Roy was appointed as the chairman unethically and by violating an age-old convention in which a leader from the opposition party is made the chairman. It is well established that this government has no faith in the democratic set up. It is not known why he was asked to resign (by the TMC leadership). Once the new chairperson is appointed, the reason behind his resignation will become clearer,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson.
