Trinamool Leader Mukul Roy Distances Himself From New Political Party

Kolkata: A day after an advertisement of a new political outfit, the Nationalist Trinamool Congress, appeared in newspapers prompting speculation about Mr Mukul Roy floating the party, the sidelined Trinamool leader today denied having any association with the advertisement or the new outfit.

"It is hereby announced that an application for the registration of new political party 'Nationalist Trinamool Congress' has been made with the Election Commission," read the advertisement appearing in vernacular dailies, calling for any objections to the new outfit.

The advertisement named Mr Amitabh Majumdar as the new party's president and Mr Farid Khan as the general secretary.

"I don't have any association with that. I am a Trinamool Congress MP and it is my only identity," Mr Roy said in reaction to the advertisement.

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The Trinamool Rajya Sabha member was stripped of party posts following his CBI quizzing in the .

Going against the party stand that the CBI was targeting Trinamool leaders, Mr Roy, a former railways minister, insisted on cooperating with the probe agency even if it "summoned him a hundred times".

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While both Mr Khan and Mr Majumdar are considered 'close' to the former Trinamool general secretary, Mr Roy said he had no association with the new outfit.

"Just because some people meet or talk to me and are considered close to me, doesn't mean they are acting on my directions or working on my behalf.

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"Anyone can do that (put the advertisement). I have no association with that," added Mr Roy, who was once the second-in-command of Ms Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool and credited as the architect of the party's electoral success.

Earlier in June, expelled Trinamool leader Dipak Ghosh, a close aide of Mr Roy, had claimed initiating the process for a new political party.

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Mr Roy then too had distanced himself from the comments, saying they were Mr Ghosh's personal remarks.