BJP leader Mukul Roy meets Sabyasachi Dutta, refute speculations of witch over

Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy on Friday met Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta at his residence, fuelling speculations that the senior Trinamool Congress leader might switch over to the BJP ahead of the national elections. Both Roy and Dutta refuted the speculations and said it was just a courtesy visit.

Roy, a former TMC leader who had crossed over to the BJP in 2017 over differences with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, went to Dutta's residence late in the evening and held a meeting for more than two hours. Dutta, also an MLA of Rajarhat Newtown, was known as a loyalist of Roy during his days in the TMC. However, he stayed back in Banerjee's party even as Roy became a rebel.

When contacted, Roy told PTI, "Sabyasachi is like my younger brother. I share personal bonding with his family. I just came to meet him to inquire about his well being." Echoing Roy, Dutta said the BJP leader went to his residence to "inquire about my well being".

The Trinamool leadership, however, said they were keeping a close watch on the development. Dutta has considerable influence in North 24 Parganas' Dum Dum and Barasat Lok Sabha constituencies, both of which are adjacent to Kolkata.

Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation is the local governing body responsible for the civic infrastructure of Salt Lake and Newtown satellite cities. In the last two months, several TMC leaders, including sitting Lok Sabha MP from Bishnupur, Soumitra Khan, had switched over to the BJP.

The Trinamool Congress leadership off late has been reaching out to its disgruntled leaders to thwart any "poaching" bid by the BJP ahead of the general elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)