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Journalism of Courage
SOUMEN ROY, BJP MLA from Kaliaganj in Uttar Dinajpur district, joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday. He is the fourth BJP MLA to switch loyalties post the Assembly polls held earlier this year. After joining the TMC at its headquarters in Kolkata, Roy, who was with the party earlier, said he “could not accept BJP culture”.
Earlier, Mukul Roy MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar, Biswajit Das, MLA from Bagda, Tanmoy Ghosh, MLA from Bishnupur, left BJP to join Trinamool. All four were with Trinamool in the past and had switched to BJP.
“I was with the Trinamool Congress and so was my family. Just before the Assembly polls, there was some issue and I had to contest the polls on a BJP ticket. But I believe in the culture of Bengal. BJP practices a culture which is not of Bengal. I could not accept their culture. On the other hand, Bengal is progressing under the leadership of [Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee, She is reaching out to the people with development. Therefore I decided to return to my party,” said Roy, i n the presence of TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee.
Asked about the BJP state leadership’s allegations that their MLAs are “being forced to join TMC,” Roy said, “You can see me here. I was never forced.”
When asked about a section of BJP leaders calling for a separate state of north Bengal, Roy said, “I assure you under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, we will not allow division of Bengal.”
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