TMC MP Saugata Roy, | Photo credit: PTI
Calcutta: Ahead of next year’s West Bengal elections, BJP leader Arjun Singh appeared to claim that five TMC government MPs in the state are likely to switch sides soon.
Singh, the BJP MP from Barrackpore, hinted that TMC MPs, including Saugata Roy, are going to resign from the ruling state party and join the saffron party.
This comes amid speculation about the differences between the West Bengal Minister Suvendu Adhikari and the state government.
“Suvendu Adhikari is a mass leader and is always welcome in the BJP. BJP is going to form a government in the state. The day Suvendhu Adhikari joins the BJP, the West Bengal government will fall … Now, five TMC MPs will resign and join the BJP, ”said the BJP MP.
“Saugata Roy supports TMC and claims to be a mediator between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari in front of the camera, but without a camera, you can count Saugata Roy’s name also on the list of probable defectors,” he added.
However, Roy dismissed BJP MP’s claim and said it was part of BJP’s “fake news campaign”. “That is part of BJP’s fake news campaign, this is Amit Malviya’s technique to spread fake news,” the TMC deputy told ANI.
Adhikari, a popular TMC leader, said earlier this week that he has made progress thanks to hard work and is an elected, not selected or nominated leader.
Adhikari, who has the portfolio of the state transportation department, has become angry with the party leaders and has skipped several important party meetings, including cabinet meetings.
The TMC is trying to persuade Adhikari and has also held several rounds of talks with him to address his issues and retain him in the party, party sources said, PTI reported.
West Bengal will go to the polls in April-May 2021 when Mamata Banerjee will seek to return to power for a third consecutive term.
