The internal crisis in the Trinamool Congress deepened further on Friday with party MlA Subhrangshu Roy, son of Trinamool all-India general secretary Mukul Roy, claimed that his father has been back-stabbed by the party which he built up from the scratch. His remark has triggered speculation about Mukul Roy’s immediate exit from Mamata Banerjee’s party.
The Trinamool leadership swung into action by setting a disciplinary committee to look into junior Roy’s allegations. Inside reports said he may be placed under suspension after party supremo Mamata Banerjee returns from Bangladesh on Saturday.
In another indication that the relationship between Banerjee and Roy has suffered irreparable damage, the Chief Minister’s belongings kept at Roy’s 181 South Avenue Flat in Delhi was on Friday shifted to 183 South Avenue flat of her nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee. Mukul Roy said he never lived in 181 South Avenue which was left for Banerjee’s use.
Asked to comment on possible split in the Trinamool Congress in the wake of Banerjee clipping the former Railway Minister’s wings, Subhrangshu told the media, “Even old marriages sometimes end up in divorces.” He was quick to add “separated couples often reunite.”
On how he would react to his father being divested of his vital responsibilities in the party, junior Roy said,
“The man who built up the party from the scratch has been stabbed in the back.
It really hurts when you are back-stabbed.”
Vowing to stand by his father, he said, “It is true that Mamata Banerjee called me and gave me the MlA ticket. I am thankful to her. But when your father is humiliated you have no choice but to stand by him. I will stand by him.”
When asked as to whether the Mukul Roy era in Bengal politics had ended with Banerjee divesting off him his organisational posts the MlA said “time will tell whether Mukul Roy era had ended or not.”
The differences between the Chief Minister and her one-time man Mukul Roy widened after his interrogation by the CBI in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund case and reports that Roy divulged some crucial facts about Banerjee.
The chemistry deteriorated after reported incidents of sabotage by Roy loyalists in the Bongaon and Krishnaganj by-elections, which the Trinamool won hands down.
On Friday, when junior Roy was asked to react to Banerjee’s earlier statements that the party would institute a probe against those who had sabotaged the elections, he shot back asking why similar probes should not be started against leaders who were in-charge of 2014 general elections when the party trailed from Bhatpara, Bidhannagar, and more importantly Bhawanipore Assembly segment of the Chief Minister herself.
Acting swiftly, the TMC leaders in consultation with Banerjee, who was touring Bangladesh, said the party disciplinary committee would take inquire into the matter. “On the face of it the MlA seems to have breached disciplines by speaking outside the party forum,” Partho Chatterjee State Minister and senior leader said, adding, “The disciplinary committee shall take into consideration all the footages and reports and then recommend appropriate action to the leadership within 72 hours.” Sources said suspension of junior Roy was just a matter of time.