Kolkata: In a major blow to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,  MLA Tapas Roy on Monday, March 4, tendered his resignation to the West Bengal speaker. 

Baranagar TMC MLA Tapas Roy has also quit the Trinamool Congress expressing displeasure over the functioning of the party and the way the Sandeshkhali issue was handled. Tapas Roy was the TMC deputy chief whip in the West Bengal assembly. 

"I have submitted my resignation as an MLA to the assembly speaker. I am now a free bird," said Tapas Roy after submitting his resignation to the West Bengal assembly speaker. 

"I have been a loyal soldier of the party for the last 25 years. But I did not get my due," he added. 

Received No Support From Party During ED Raids: Tapas Roy 

Tapas Roy slammed the Trinamool Congress leadership for allegedly not standing by him when his residence was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January.

“I resigned because I felt that I am not respected in this party, many times such situations arose where I felt this. The ED team reached my house on January 12th, it has been many days since the incident took place but no sympathy or cooperation has been received from the party,” said Roy after tendering his resignation. 

Tapas Roy Slams Mamata Banerjee for Sandeshkhali 

In an unexpected move, Tapas Roy pulled up the Mamata Banerjee government for several issues including corruption. He said that the Sandeshkhali issue could have been handled in a better manner. 

"I am really disappointed with the way the party is functioning. I am fed up with so many allegations of corruption levelled against the party and the government. Secondly, I do not support the way the Sandeshkhali issue was handled," he told reporters.

Senior TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Bratya Basu met Roy at his residence this morning in an attempt to pacify him, however, the efforts yeilded no results.