English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Mamata’s key aide Mukul Roy says he’s quitting TMC; party suspends him for 6 years

Published

8 years ago

on

Mukul and Mamata Banerjee

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Amid rumours that the former Union railway minister may be joining the BJP, Mamata’s main concern would be the information Roy may carry to the rival camp

~By Sujit Bhar

As expected, Mamata Banerjee’s long-time aide and confidante Mukul Roy has decided to quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He will be putting in his papers after Dussehra, he said on Monday morning. Hours later, Banerjee’s party announced that it was suspending Roy from membership of the Trinamool for a period of six years.

Though Roy, who was elevated to be the Union railway minister during the UPA-II regime when Mamata Banerjee decided to move to West Bengal as chief minister after her party’s Assembly election victory , has not said where his next destination would be, but rumours are that he’s BJP-bound.

India Legal, the sister concern of APN, had clearly signalled the departure of Roy earlier, and this certainly is not the end of desertions from the Mamata camp.

Shortly after Roy’s announcement of his decision to quit the party and from his membership of the Rajya Sabha, Bengal’s education minister and another Mamata aide, Partha Chatterjee, declared that Roy was being suspended from the party for six years with immediate effect.

The Trinamool’s decision, however, makes little difference since Roy had anyway decided to totally quit the party.

Roy’s son Subhrangshu Roy, also a legislator, however, has decided to remain with the TMC.

Whatever the TMC reaction to this news – it was entirely expected and Mamata had made sure that Roy held no post of any importance – Roy’s resignation in itself is of little importance politically. His support base was eroding fast, and other leaders in TMC, especially Mamata’s nephew Abhisek Banerjee (the de facto No. 2 in the party today), made sure that no new shoots grew from Roy’s early importance as a grassroots leader.

Of critical importance, however, will be the loads of inside information that Roy will be carrying over to the next camp. He has been the main wheeler-dealer of the party for a long time, and there was a time when Mamata used to depend completely on the manipulative abilities of Roy.

Even during the Narada sting in 2011, Roy had enough importance within the party to be able to retrieve whatever information regarding legal and financial details of the party that he wished to review. Party funding during elections, huge amounts going into shady hands in the hills and the basic earnings from the many promoter “syndicates” that the party spawned were tied to strings that Roy controlled. Those strings are now in the hands of Abhisek, but enough footprints are available, still, to corner the TMC with several CBI and ED raids. That would certainly be the BJP initiative.

The parleys that Roy had been having in Delhi – with a section of BJP leaders including the party’s national president Amit Shah – weren’t too fruitful initially. Mamata realised his efforts and brought Roy back to Kolkata. But by then it was late. The rabble-rouser BJP president Dilip Ghosh had been tapping all available TMC leads and Roy was the weakest link of all.

What is the gain for Roy? While the probe into the Narada scam cannot really tie Roy down (he did not really handle the money), there have been several instances of his not-too-fair dealings as minister (especially as Railways minster) that could have landed him in serious trouble.

Roy has probably struck a deal with the BJP regarding his own safety. It may be recalled that his son has sought the refuge of TMC, possibly simply because he was not in demand within the BJP. He would surely be treated with suspicion within the TMC now, especially since he carries with him allegations of a huge number of suspicious dealings while his father was the railway minister.

When asked at the press conference why he was resigning, Roy said he was “forced” to, and that he was leaving with a “heavy heart and pain.” Regarding his intentions regarding the BJP, Roy just said: “After five days I will explain everything.  Today, I will not say a word, I will explain after puja.”

Roy had been removed from almost all party posts including the vice-president’s post. His Delhi tours were the source of serious discussions within the TMC, with Partha Chatterjee having thundered: “On what right is he talking to BJP leaders? Maybe on a personal level, but we are keeping a close watch.  We will take action if he exceeds his limit. He cannot be friendly with us if he is also friendly with the BJP. He has to remember that the party’s needs are bigger than personal needs.”

Not that Roy had not sent out clear signals earlier. Recently, he had given up the entire security detail (except for one bodyguard) that the state had provided for him. When asked why, he had explained that since he was not within the main party dealings anymore, there was no need for such security.

When the TMC did take strict action – like suspending him – it turned out to be too little too late.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

Published

2 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

Continue Reading

India News

RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

Published

7 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

Continue Reading

India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

7 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com