Kolkata:
Three-time Trinamool MP Shatabdi Roy was appointed Vice President of the party’s Bengal unit Sunday, two days soon after she practically joined a expanding list of higher-profile leaders to swap the ruling party for the opposition BJP with Assembly elections due in April-May.
Ms Roy mentioned she “welcomed the decision” and that she would work challenging to assure the defeat of the BJP in the forthcoming election. “If you take up the matter concerning the party with the top leadership, it is addressed. This development proves that,” she was quoted by news agency PTI.
On Friday the Trinamool battled to persuade Ms Roy – who retained Birbhum in the 2019 election in spite of colleagues losing neighbouring seats to the BJP by enormous margins – to stay in the party.
Ms Roy mentioned she was “mentally anguished” at not getting invited to party events in her constituency and was to fly to Delhi early Saturday amid speculation she would meet Home Minister Amit Shah.
Late Friday – soon after a meeting with fellow MP Abhishek Banerjee (who is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew) she cancelled her Delhi trip, and mentioned: “I am with the Trinamool. My problems with the party have been addressed by Abhishek Banerjee. All my abhimaan (pride) has been placated. I came to politics for Mamata Banerjee. I am with her.”
Faced with Ms Roy’s dramatic U-turn the BJP mentioned the episode exposed the ruling Trinamool’s fragile situation and pointed out that “she has not said she will not go in future”.
The Trinamool, which faces an onslaught by the BJP and a stern fight to retain handle, has lost dozens of leaders, seven legislators and an MP to the opposition in current weeks.
Foremost amongst the losses is Suvendu Adhikari – when a close aide of Mamata Banerjee who joined the BJP final month, in the presence of Amit Shah, and promptly fired a warning shot.
Last month alarm bells rang soon after 4 faces had been missing from a cabinet meeting referred to as by Ms Banerjee. Three of these missing provided valid explanations but Rajib Banerjee, the fourth, remained incommunicado till late in the evening.
His earlier comments about the party had been uncomfortably close to these created by Mr Adhikari ahead of he quit, top him to getting referred to as for talks by Trinamool Secretary-General Partho Chatterjee.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishore was reportedly also present at the meeting, soon after which Mr Banerjee appeared to strike a more conciliatory pose.
The Trinamool has shrugged off the exits as “good riddance to liabilities” but privately party leaders say that if any other higher-profile figures had been to leave, it could effect morale.
Polls to the 294-member Assembly are due in April-May, and the BJP has set itself a target of 200 seats. The party shocked the Trinamool in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, winning 18 of 42 seats.
With input from PTI