Mukul Roy returns to Trinamool: Mamata secures party and her vote bank

What led to the estrangement between Banerjee and Roy isn’t clearly known even among party workers. Some say it happened when Roy deposed before the CBI in the Sarada scam case; others say that he was considered a threat to the up and rising Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew.

Over the last year, their estrangement deepened the fault lines within the Trinamool Congress. Dissent became louder and dissidents braver. A number of TMC dissidents joined hands with members of other parties such as Pradeep Ghosh of the BJP and approached the Election Commission last year to float their own party, Nationalist Trinamool Congress. This would havecreated confusion in the electorate’s mind and cut into TMC’s vote bank.

Roy maintained a safe distance from everyone and never publicly identified himself with either the break-off party or the dissenters. Party insiders say that over time, Roy’s capacity to damage the TMC’s chances at the polls had been overblown and overestimated. When the fissures first appeared, party members close to Roy had said he enjoyed the backing of at least 80 MLAs and a number of MPs. This was not the case as only a handful came out in open support of the leader.

He was courted by both the BJP ands the Congress last year but these efforts came to naught. TMC members feel that rejoining Mamata’s fold was the only route left to him. If party insiders are to be believed, what has strengthened the chief minister’s position is that he has been brought back on Mamata’s terms.

She can now be at ease, knowing that a consolidated party and vote bank will be behind her in the upcoming elections.