The Gujarat election results will be out within just three days. But, the exit polls results have already set off the celebrations in the BJP.
The first person who jumped in the ring announcing a big dawwat without even waiting for the exit poll results was Mukul Roy, the new entrant in the BJP. Roy has publicly declared to host a dinner at his residence in New Delhi to celebrate the victory of the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Though he was not part of the campaign team in Gujarat, Mukul Roy visited the state when the poll fever was picking up. Now, he predicts at least 120 seats to his party.
After his return from Gujarat, Mukul Roy was busy finalizing the guest list, which interestingly includes all of Trinamool Congress MPs – “friends” from his previous party. But, Roy has ensured that the BJP members are not outnumbered by the TMC MPs at the dinner party.
MUKUL ROY’S ‘PROMISE’
Mukul Roy’s planned dinner party is being seen as the BJP’s attempt to reach out to Mamata Banerjee-led TMC MPs, who have been opposing the government’s policies tooth and nail. Roy’s idea is to present an opportunity to both the BJP and TMC leaders to mingle with one another informally.
The dinner invitation to TMC MPs gains significance in the view of his reported promise that he could impress upon over a dozen TMC MLAs and half-a-dozen MPs. However, no other big player from the TMC has switched sides after Roy joined the BJP last month.
Speculations are, meanwhile, rife that a few heavyweight ministers in the Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal cabinet and TMC MPs are in touch with Mukul Roy. They may join the BJP if they find enough tilt towards the party in West Bengal ahead of panchayat elections scheduled for next year.
WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR ROY?
As per his own claims, Mukul Roy has enough clout among the Trinamool Congress leaders to influence their association with the ruling party of West Bengal. But, Roy has failed to make any gain for the BJP in West Bengal politics.
The BJP is, however, banking on him for his thorough homework of the constituencies of West Bengal and his reach at the local grass root level. The BJP is not so convinced that there will be a major exodus from Trinamool Congress considering Mamata Banerjee’s control over the party.
The West Bengal BJP unit has yet to match its frequency with Mukul Roy, against whom the party leaders went berserk not long ago. The state leaders also did not give their nod for Mukul Roy’s state-wide yatra to mobilize support in BJP’s favor.
The BJP state unit has now planned a Sanhati Yatra to be carried out by a dedicated team under party leaders like Dilip Ghosh, Rahul Sinha, and Roopa Ganguly. Mukul Roy is also part of that team.
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