BJP leader says 5 Trinamool MPs ready to join party, TMC lashes out

Kolkata, Nov 21 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member from West Bengal's Barrackpore constituency Arjun Singh on Saturday claimed that as many as five Trinamool Congress MPs are ready to join the saffron brigade and they can resign anytime soon.

While moving along the banks of the Ganga river in his Lok Sabha constituency on the occasion of Chhath Puja, Singh said: "At least five Trinamool MPs are ready to switch to BJP and they can join us anytime soon."

He said that veteran Trinamool Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Sougata Roy is also there in the list. "Roy says something else in front of the camera and talks about Mamata Banerjee as if he is trying to bridge the gap between Subhendu Adhikari and the Trinamool Congress. But once you remove the camera he will be ready to join the BJP," Singh told media persons.

The statement raised questions about the political allegiance of Roy and whether he is joining the opposition camp ahead of the crucial state assembly polls scheduled in 2021.

When asked about the possibility of his switchover, Roy termed Singh as a third-class politician and a 'bahubali' (political strongman). Roy said that he continues to stand by his party, the Trinamool Congress, and would never join the BJP.

"This is a campaign strategy of the BJP under the direction of their IT cell head Amit Malviya. They spread fake news like this only. I don't think I should pass any comment on this," said Roy, reaffirming that he would prefer to die but would never join the BJP as he does not believe in its ideology.

"I will quit politics or rather prefer to die but will never join hands with the BJP. I don't believe in their political ideology," the Trinamool MP said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Saturday held a press interaction where he confirmed that Roy was not going anywhere.

"We all have learnt Gandhian principles from Sougata Da. He can never join the party who killed Gandhi," Hakim said.

( With inputs from IANS )