Roy is the deputy chief whip of the ruling party in the Assembly and president of the TMC’s Dumdum-Barrackpore organisational district. He is an MLA from Baranagar assembly seat.
Speaking to media persons outside the Assembly, Roy said, “Trinamool Congress is not for me anymore. I am a free bird. I will let you all know about my next course of action later.”
His statement came after Education Minister Bratya Basu and TMC State Secretary Kunal Ghosh visited Roy’s North Kolkata residence and held a meeting for over an hour. According to sources, they were trying to dissuade Roy from leaving the party.
After the two TMC leaders left, Roy held a press conference at his home and expressed his sadness that no one from his party called him or his family up after the ED raided his home on January 12. ED officials had raided his home in connection with a recruitment scam in civic bodies.
“For the last 23-24 years, I am with the Trinamool Congress. On 12th January, the ED raided my home. Even after 52 days of the raid, my party did not support me even once. Mamata Banerjee did not call me once. I was not called by the party. No one stood with me or my family,” said Roy.
“There is so much corruption in the party. The Sandeshkhali (allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing against a section of TMC leaders) episode has also pained me a lot,” he added.
Sources said the MLA was upset as the chief minister defended Sheikh Shahjahan in the Assembly but did not speak a word in his support.
Meanwhile, speculations are rife that Roy may join the BJP shortly and contest against sitting TMC MP and parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay in the North Kolkata seat.
When asked about Tapas Roy and the chances of him joining the saffron party, state BJP President Sukanto Majumder said, “Politics is a game of possibilities. However, at this time there is nothing to share on the issue with the media.”
CPI(M) politburo member Sujan Chakraborty said, “Although the TMC is our political opponent, Roy was courteous. A person like him leaving the party shows that the TMC is now a party of strongmen and criminals like Sheikh Shahjahan and not a place for good politicians.”
Criticising Roy’s move, TMC youth wing general secretary Debangshu Bhattacharya quipped, “Why did he decide to leave the party just 15 days before the Lok Sabha elections are set to be announced?”