Rumour mills buzz as Mukul Roy, Shamik Bhattacharya & Rajib Banerjee skip Bengal BJP meet

At a time when several turncoat politicians are expressing regret at quitting Trinamool Congress and joining the BJP, the three heavyweights' absence has sparked intense speculation.

BJP’s Bengal unit convened on Tuesday for a high-powered organizational meet where party leaders were required to be physically present. However, the absence of heavyweights like Mukul Roy, Shamik Bhattacharya and Rajib Banerjee is being remarked upon. pic.twitter.com/sSRE8FtYsa BJP state president Dilip Ghosh was quick to assert that the senior leaders’ absence at the crucial meeting was not a matter of concern. He clarified that BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy could not make it as his wife is unwell, while spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya's father has passed away. TMC minister-turned-BJP leader Rajib Banerjee could not attend the meeting due to personal reasons. At a time when several turncoat politicians are expressing regret at quitting Trinamool Congress and joining the BJP, the fact that these influential party leaders did not attend the meet has sparked intense speculation. Last weekend, Mukul Roy’s son Subhrangshu Roy had taken to Facebook to thank chief minister Mamata Banerjee for reaching out to his family in their “hour of need". Roy himself was a founder-member of the TMC before quitting the fold in 2017 and rising to prominence in the saffron party. On the other hand, Rajib Banerjee jumped ship from the TMC in January this year and contested the Bengal assembly polls on a BJP ticket.