Many in TMC against return of turncoats; party says not all opposed
Following the return of Mukul Roy and his son to the Trinamool last Friday, several local leaders who quit the party to join the BJP earlier have expressed their desire to rejoin the ruling party.
A SECTION of Trinamool Congress has expressed opposition to the party taking back leaders who had left it to join the BJP in the run-up to the Assembly elections. A senior TMC leader, however, claimed on Tuesday that this resistance to bring back the turncoats was not a “universal phenomenon”.
Following the return of Mukul Roy and his son to the Trinamool last Friday, several local leaders who quit the party to join the BJP earlier have expressed their desire to rejoin the ruling party. On Tuesday, Bardhaman Purba MP Sunil Mondol, who joined the BJP along with Suvendu Adhikari a few months ago, joined the list of those expressing regret.
“Suvendu came to my home and requested me to join the BJP. He then promised many things on that day but he did not keep any promise,” he said.
However, a section of TMC leaders and workers are opposed to the turncoats returning. In Howrah district, supporters of state minister Arup Roy have put up posters expressing opposition to the possible return of former minister Rajib Banerjee. In Hooghly district, TMC workers are campaigning to stop the re-entry of former Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghoshal who lost the election on a BJP ticket. Posters against the return of Sunil Singh, brother-in-law of BJP MP Arjun Singh, have appeared in Noapara and Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district.
State Fire Minister Sujit Basu has expressed opposition to any possibility of taking back Sabyasachi Dutta, who contested against him. However, TMC MP Saugata Roy said, “The opposition against turncoats is not a universal phenomenon. We have received news of resistance in some places. Mukul Roy’s case was different. Mamata Banerjee personally decided to take back Mukul. We have not yet decided on these proposals (to take back others).”