Mukul Roy not hurt over Trinamool stripping him of responsibilities

Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy on Monday refused to either confirm or deny reports of him joining the BJP and said he was not hurt over his party stripping him of responsibilities.

In an interview to CNN-IBN news channel, Roy said: "I will not confirm whether I plan to join the BJP. My present status is what should be of interest."

"I am presently just an MP of the upper house of parliament elected by the party and nothing more," he said on being asked if he plans to join the BJP.

On West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for financial help for her state, he said it was a "welcome step" but a delayed one.

"I welcome Mamata Banerjee's move to meet Modi, she should have done this earlier because it's in the best interest of the state, better late than never," he said.

Roy said the Trinamool should not have opposed the president's address to the joint sitting of parliament, calling it against the convention "which hurts the prestige of both - the parliament and the president".

The Trinamool leader, who used to be quite close to the party chief, said advancing of assembly election in Bengal would be a "big mistake".