KOLKATA: Days after Trinamool Congress co-founder Mukul Roy joined Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), he proclaimed BJP national president Amit Shah as his 'national captain' and state BJP president Dilip Ghosh as his 'Bengal captain'.
Speaking at a press conference at the state party headquarters here on Monday, the veteran Bengal politician welcomed politicians from other parties to BJP to bring yet another 'parivartan' or change of power in the state.
"I will work in Bengal under the leadership of Amit bhai and Dilip Ghosh. The way BJP is working in Bengal over the past few years, I am pretty confident that the party is inching towards its goal of forming a government in the state. The people of Bengal are looking for an alternative and I believe that BJP is that alternative which will restore the democratic environment in the state," he said.
Roy added that he will address his first public meet at Rani Rashmoni road in Kolkata on November 10.
Rumours were rife in the state leadership that Mukul Roy, a veteran Bengal politician accused in both Saradha and Narada scams, may be made the numero uno of the BJP party in the state.
Some of the state BJP leaders also raised concerns of the party's public image by accepting a politician who is accused in two of the biggest scams in the state at a time when the memories and impact of the scams are still fresh in people's mind. However, he is yet to be conferred as an official position in the party.
Exuding confidence of BJP victory in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, Roy said: "BJP has chief ministers in 13 states and deputy chief ministers in five states. We will register landslide victories in upcoming Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat elections. After that, our target would be to form governments in Odisha and West Bengal."
On the other hand, state BJP president officially welcomed Mukul Roy into the party by terming his joining as an 'earthquake' in Bengal politics. "Mukul Roy has been the prime mediator between BJP and TMC in the past. He is not new to the party and its way of functioning. I welcome him from a 'stinking pond' into the 'ocean'," he said.