Mukul Roy to quit as Rajya Sabha MP today, reveal reasons to quit Trinamool Congress

Kolkata: Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy will quit his Rajya Sabha seat on Wednesday and later hold a press conference to explain reasons for quitting Trinamool Congress - the party of which he was a founding member. 

According to sources, Roy is slated to meet Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, at 3.30 pm and submit his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament.

He would then hold a press briefing at his New Delhi residence explaining why he was quitting Trinamool Congress.

Amid much speculation that he was eyeing a role in the BJP, Roy has met over the past few days party heavyweights including Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and its National General Secretary and West Bengal in charge Kailash Vijayvargiya.

Another theory doing the rounds is that Roy might revive the Nationalist Trinamool Congress or float a new outfit and function as an ally of the BJP by joining the centre's ruling National Democratic Alliance. 

Political circles feel Roy might try to rope in some dissident Trinamool leaders to prove his political weight to the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool launched a scathing attack on its erstwhile national general secretary and vice president.

Accusing Roy of betraying the party, Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee claimed without party supremo Mamata Banerjee's support, Roy's political career would be in oblivion.

"He is now trying to weigh his options. He will be lost into the sea. If he quits, no one would enquire about him. If he was intelligent, he would not have taken such a decision to betray the party," he alleged.

Chatterjee, who is also state Education Minister, also took a swipe at Roy for delaying his resignation from the party.

On the other hand, Congress President Adhir Chowdhury, who held meetings with Roy after his suspension from the party, said the former Union Minister had approached the Congress but the decision to take him depended on the party's central leadership.

Terming the saga between Trinamool and Roy as their internal issue, the Communist Party of India claimed his political credentials would be questioned if he decided to join the BJP.

"It is to be seen how the people of Bengal react to it and I think they would consider his move as a betrayal," he claimed.

Roy, once Banerjee's right hand man, on September 25 announced his decision to quit the party, which hit back by suspending him for six years.

Roy had then said he would resign as the primary party member and also from his Rajya Sabha seat after the Durga Puja, which concluded on September 30.

With IANS inputs