Mukul to join Congress?

SNS Kolkata, 22 November, 2015: At a time when Trinamul Congress MP Mukul Roy, who fell from Mamata Banerjee's grace, is evasive about whether he would quit the party, PCC chief Adhir Choudhury on Saturday told a party rally that he had asked the party high command to induct Roy in the Congress.

Roy's recent meeting with AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi has triggered speculation whether he would join the Congress.

However, Roy's son and Trinamul MLA Subhrangshu Roy, had earlier this week ruled out his father quitting the Trinamul Congress, even though Roy himself responded by saying his son, being a politician himself, was entitled to his views. He did not clear the air about whether he would join any political party or float a new party.

Some followers of Roy have applied to the Election Commission for launching a new party.

Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee said during the day that Roy was still in the party.

On the other, several PCC leaders are opposed to the idea of inducting Roy owing to his alleged links to the Saradha chit fund scam.

"I am opposed to the proximity of any person who has any links with Sarahha chit fund scam" veteran Congress leader Abdul Mannan said.

Mannan was instrumental in moving a case about the Saradha chit fund in Supreme Court which ordered a CBI probe into the matter.

"Roy is yet to be given a clean chit by the CBI." Manna said when it was pointed out that the investigating agency has already interrogated him. It is up to the party high command to decide whether to induct someone with a clean image or one whose name is linked with a scam, he added.

"The PCC president may have voiced his personal opinion about inducting Roy, an important Trinamul leader to Congress." a former PCC chief who requested anonymity said. "But he did not take other senior  leaders into confidence." he pointed out.

It is learnt that Roy is about to float a new party, the Congress leader said. The high command should consider the embarrassment the party would suffer if the Trnamul leader does not accept the offer to join, he added.

There is no harm in inducting Roy to the party, former PCC chief and Rajya Sabha member Pradip Bhattacharya said. “He has come to my house on several occasions and Trinamul would suffer a setback if he joins Congress,” he said.