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Mukul Roy's exit is neither a jolt or surprise for TMC, what does BJP stand to gain?

One of the founding members of the TMC, Roy said that he would resign from the Rajya Sabha after Durga Puja

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Seven months after he was brought back to the party as its vice president with much fanfare, Mukul Roy- once Mamata Banerjee's right-hand man- announced his exit from the Trinamool Congress. The move, however, came as no surprise to the party and its leaders who, within hours, suspended him. While Roy has met leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party fuelling speculations of him joining the saffron party, what really does the BJP stand to gain?

Mukul Roy's exit is neither a jolt or surprise for TMC, what does BJP stand to gain?

One of the founding members of the party, Roy is an electoral-strongman. Within the TMC it is a popular notion that if Mamata drew the crowds, Roy ensured they voted for her. In February when he made a comeback, Roy had famously said that his aim was to ensure that TMC sweeps the next assembly election with more than 250 seats. Months down the line, he is looking for a new political future, probably one with a saffron tinge to it.

TMC leaders, including ministers, believe that Roy was a master of scientific rigging, a talent that has been used largely by CPI(M) to identify booths, blocks, and districts where there was a vote deficit. This talent perhaps is a loss for the TMC, however, the party seems unfazed. The possibility of Roy joining the BJP has also not come as a surprise to the TMC. Many leaders within the TMC had highlighted Roy's 'proximity' to the BJP since 2015.

Roy's relationship with the party had been tumultuous since 2015 when he is said to have cooperated with the Central Bureau of Investigation probing the Saradha chit fund scam. Despite being accused in the Narada sting case, he has not faced arrest- unlike many of his party colleagues. For the TMC, Roy's exit was a foregone conclusion considering the many hints of rebellion that he had dropped- be it over Durga idol immersion or inclusivity of minorities in the state.

Roy chose not to say much during his Monday press conference. "I have been forced to exit from the party," he told reporters assuring to reveal more after he resigns from the primary membership of the party. The TMC, on the other hand, accused Roy of indulging in 'anti-party activities' and suspended him before he put out his resignation.

The BJP has worked its way to become the opposition in West Bengal. Its vote share has gradually grown in all recent elections. While the saffron party has a long way to go to even pose a challenge to Mamata Banerjee's presence, loss of a Roy for TMC is advantage BJP whether or not he chooses to join the party.

Roy is a heavy weight that the BJP can use- if not in its favor- at least against Mamata. Roy's political acumen can flare anti-incumbency sentiment and resentment against Mamata Banerjee given the recent decisions her government has taken. In the Durga Puja idol immersion matter, Mamata has offered a delightful agenda to the BJP on a platter. The saffron party only needs to exploit the agenda but its Hindutva brand of politics may not strike a chord with Bengalis. This is probably the place for a local yet strong leader like Roy.

While there is no clarity on whether Roy will join the BJP, his exit from the TMC is for now enough for the saffron party to gain more strenght.

OneIndia News

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