Mukul Roy, the once very powerful leader of the Trinamool Congress has decided to resign the primary membership of the party. Announcing this at a press conference, the former Union Railway Minister also announced his resignation from the Rajya Sabha. Speaking to reporters, Mukul Roy said that he will resign from the party after the end of the Durga Puja. “With heavy heart I announce that I will quit from the Trinamool Congress,” he said. When asked the reason behind his resignation, Mukul Roy said he will reveal everything after some time, “I will reveal why I am resigning from the party, after Durga Puja,” he was quoted as saying.
Roy’s announcement caps months of growing rift with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was seen sidelining her former trusted general in the party.
Just before the assembly polls, a similar distance developed between Roy and the Bengal chief minister. However, later, Roy and his followers were once again rehabilitated in the party.
Over the past few months, rumors of Roy quitting TMC have been doing the rounds. But Roy never spoke decisively on his move and kept everybody guessing about his move. Roy was removed from various posts of the party recently.
On September 20, Roy asked that the Z category security he was entitled to be stopped. On Sunday, he went to the inauguration of a Durga puja that is identified with Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, who was suspended by the party after he spoke out against the chief minister in the Saradha scam.
Mukul Roy, 63, was once the undisputed number two in the party after Mamata Banerjee. His utility stemmed from the fact that he was responsible for expanding and managing the organization both in Bengal and beyond it. He was also instrumental in party strategy during the polls, especially in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Roy not only had the ears of the chief minister, but was also known as a trouble shooter. When Mamata Banerjee stepped down as the rail minister from UPA I government to contest the Assembly elections from Bhawanipore constituency, Roy was chosen to replace her. He was the railway minister from March 20, 2012 to September 21, 2012.
Roy’s son, Subhrangshu, is also a TMC MLA from Bijpur constituency from North 24 Parganas district. He first won in 2011 and was re-elected in 2016.
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