Tapas Roy, a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader who resigned from the party two days ago, has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. Roy’s decision to switch allegiances comes amid growing discontent with the TMC leadership.
Having resigned as a TMC Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) on Monday, citing disillusionment with the party’s leadership, Roy wasted no time in joining the BJP ranks. “I have joined the BJP today, as I want to fight against the misrule and atrocities of the TMC,” he stated, shortly after receiving the BJP party flag from state president Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari.
However, the TMC has dismissed Roy’s defection as a betrayal of principles and ideologies in pursuit of personal gain. Santanu Sen, a prominent TMC leader, asserted that “the people of Bengal would never forgive traitors like Tapas Roy, who quit the party for vested interests.”
Roy, a seasoned politician with five terms as an MLA, accused the TMC and its chief, Mamata Banerjee, of abandoning him during difficult times. He expressed frustration over the party’s alleged silence when his residence was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 12, in connection with purported irregularities in municipal recruitment.
The move underscores the shifting political landscape in West Bengal, with key figures from the TMC defecting to the BJP in recent years. Roy’s decision to join the BJP reflects not only his personal grievances but also the broader discontentment within the TMC ranks.
As Roy aligns himself with the BJP, his move is likely to have ramifications for the upcoming political landscape in West Bengal, especially as the state gears up for crucial elections. The BJP’s growing influence in the region poses a significant challenge to the dominance of the TMC, setting the stage for heightened political competition in the state.
Sources By Agencies
