- Tapas Roy met Assembly speaker Biman Banerjee and resigned as MLA from Baranagar
- Emerging out of the meeting with the Speaker, Roy described himself as a “free-bird”, when asked about his political future. “I am not going to discuss my next step, I am a free bird,” Roy said outside the Assembly premises.
- I am indebted to all the political parties, their leaders and spokespersons who spoke in my favour (after the ED raid), except for my own party including the supremo the honorable chief minister: Tapas Roy
- I felt I was no longer required in the party. I had stopped coming to the Assembly. I had stopped contact with my constituency. I have already quit from all party posts: Tapas Roy
Fifty-two days after a team from the Enforcement Directorate raided his Bowbazar residence, the Baranagar Trinamul MLA and deputy chief whip in the Bengal Assembly Tapas Roy, spoke out against the Trinamul leadership, naming the chief minister.
“I wasn’t present in the state Assembly that day for health reasons, the chief minister spoke about raids by ED. She mentioned Shahjahan Sheikh (arrested former Trinamul strongman from Sandeshkhali). She could have mentioned the raid at my house too,” Roy said, speaking to mediapersons at his Bowbazar residence. “I like it when she stands by those who are victimized. She hasn’t called me once in these 52 days.”
The three-term MLA said corruption in the Trinamul rank and file and the Sandeshkhali episode had hurt him along with his being ignored from ministerial and organizational posts within the party.
Two days ago, Roy had named the Calcutta North MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay as the one responsible for the raid at his residence and his being sidelined in the party.
Roy left for the Bengal Assembly soon after on Monday noon, where he is likely to submit his resignation as MLA.
“The party did not stand with me. Nobody called my family to console us. Nobody has spoken with me. At least 40-50 people from the party and outside told me a party colleague was behind the raid. My integrity and dignity in politics is above reproach,” said Roy.
Roy said on January 12 when the raids were on at his residence, during an event to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, some people had rejoiced at the raids at his house.
On Monday, two Trinamul leaders close to the party’s all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the state education minister Bratya Basu and Kunal Ghosh went to meet Roy at his residence and were with him for around two hours.
Roy spoke with the media soon after the two leaders left and himself set for the Assembly.
“While Kunal and Bratya were here, the party president Subrata Bakshi served a showcause notice to Kunal (for coming to meet me),” Roy claimed.
Roy accused the Trinamul leadership of protecting the corrupt.
“Those who should be show-caused, suspended and expelled are doing well in this party,” he said.