Mukul lambasts Mamata, Trinamool hits back

Kolkata, Nov 10 (IANS) BJP's new entrant Mukul Roy on Friday went all guns blazing at his former party Trinamool Congress, saying it was now more of a private limited company than a political outfit and alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "Biswa Bangla" (the name by which she brands the state) was nothing by a company owned by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

"During the organisation of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup matches here, the Biswa Bangla Company played an important role. Biswa Bangla is a company owned by Abhishek Banerjee," Roy said in his first public meeting after crossing over from the Trinamool to the BJP.

Countering Roy, Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said: "These people lack depth. Mamata used to be a screen for such people. He is now saying the opposite of what he has been saying over the years. These are all false allegations".

Continuing to train his guns at Abhishek, Roy alleged that all printing related work for Trinamool was done by one company. "And Abhishek owns this Jago Bangla company."

Roy also corroborated the old opposition allegations of Banerjee meeting Rose Valley group chief Goutam Kundu - now in jail with regard to the ponzi scam involving his company - at a Bungalow in Darjeeling district's Delo - in 2012.

"I was present in the Delo meeting," he said.

Roy also claimed that arrested Ponzi scheme company owner Sudipta Sen has also held more than one meeting with the powers that be. "The meetings used to be held at various places."

Roy, one of the founders of Trinamool and once its supremo Banerjee's right hand man, alleged that the state has not seen any growth in agriculture during her six and a half year rule.

Refering to Banerjee's visits abroad alongside businessmen and seni or ministers to rope in foreign investment, he said: "She regularly goes abroad with her loyalists to attract investors, but so far no one has come."

Roy said he decided to leave Trinamool as he was "feeling suffocated" in the party and accused Banerjee of using police to serve her interests.

"Mamata is running a police raj in Bengal. Police have been asked to silence Mukul. They are reviewing a case involving (Rajya Sabha member and expelled CPI-M leader) Ritabrata Banerjee.

"Never in the past has police been used in our state to silence the opposition," he said.

Roy said since Banerjee took over the reins of the state, there has been "little change", but politics of "revenge" was now on.

He also flayed Banerjee for spending time at the inaugural event of the Kolkata International Film Festival on Friday when people in the state were dying of dengue.

"Ten years back, when people were being killed in Nandigram and Singur, (then Chief Minister) Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was busy inaugurating a film festival. And today when people are dying from dengue, Banerjee is busy inaugurating film festival", said Roy.

Banerrjee hit back while speaking at the KIFF inaugural.

"Why won't we hold the festival? Why won't we celebrate Durga puja? We will do everything. 13 festivals in 12 months is our culture. Life cannot be lived if one waves flags and says 'Zindabad'. One has to keep calm. One has to live with everyone. Those who are envious... let them be."

Taking on Chatterjee, Roy said the Durga puja organised by him was funded by chit fund companies.

Roy prophesied that the eastern state will get a chief minister from the BJP in 2021.

"I am sure there will be change in Bengal. In the districts, everyb ody is prepared to join the BJP. Only we have to wait for some time."