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Updated July 10th, 2021 at 08:15 IST

Suvendu miffed as Mukul Roy gets PAC chairmanship as BJP MLA; lambasts Bengal Speaker

Miffed at being robbed of the PAC chairmanship, Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, claimed that it was a first that Opposition didn't head it

Suvendu Adhikari, Mukul Roy
IMAGE: PTI | Image:self
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Miffed at being robbed of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairmanship, Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday, claimed that it was a first that the Opposition did not head the PAC. West Bengal Speaker announced that Mukul Roy has been elected as the PAC's chairman after being nominated as a BJP MLA, inspite of BJP's opposition. 20 West Bengal MLAs were elected to the Committee including BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari and TMC's Mukul Roy on June 25.

Suvendu miffed as Mukul Roy gets PAC chairmanship

The PAC which is elected as per each party's representation in the Assembly, mainly consists of TMC MLAs. The saffron party has opposed Mukul Roy's election to PAC as he had contested on a BJP ticket and later switched to TMC. Mukul Roy and his son returned to Trinamool after a 4-year BJP term, triggering a possible return of several TMC turncoats after BJP's Bengal loss.

BJP wrote to Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee challenging Roy's nomination to the PAC stating that the PAC is constituted on the basis of proportional representation of the parties that contested and won the seats. Pointing out that Mukul Roy is an MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar who contested on a BJP ticket, but switched to TMC later, BJP stated that he has neither resigned from the Assembly nor was he disqualified under the anti-defection law. "The question remains as to whether Mukul Roy's representation is from BJP or TMC. The BJP has not recommended his name in the Public Accounts Committee," BJP said adding that TMC's Arun Kumar Maity and Independent MLA Ruden Pratap Lepcha are the proposers of Roy's nomination and not the saffron party.

Mukul Roy rejoins TMC

On June 11, Mukul and Subhranshu Roy rejoined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the party's Kolkata headquarters, after a 4-year BJP term. Roy and his son had hinted at their exit when Roy skipped an important organizational meeting of the saffron party and his silence on the post-poll violence. Miffed at being sidelined for Suvendu Adhikari, who was elected as Leader of Opposition, Roy stated that "No one will remain in BJP in the current scenario", while rejoining TMC. Sources have reported that ex-BJP Vice President Mukul Roy is set to be made Trinamool Vice-President. Roy's peer Suvendu Adhikari who joined the BJP has sought to invoke the anti-defection law against MLA Mukul Roy if he does not resign soon. Mamata Banerjee managed to halt the BJP juggernaut, retaining Bengal with TMC winning 213 seats whereas BJP could win in only 77 constituencies.

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Published July 10th, 2021 at 08:15 IST

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