Mukul Roy to meet EC but with no plans for a new party

Rubbishing speculations about floating a new party, Mukul Roy, who left the Trinamool Congress and resigned from the Rajya Sabha, on Thursday said he would meet the Election Commission but had no plans or proposals to float a new party.

"Next November, by-polls of two assembly seats in West Bengal will be held and I am going to the Election Commission tomorrow (Friday) to offer my suggestions so that people of Bengal can exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner. I am not going (to the Election Commission) with any proposal or plan for floating a new party," Roy told Bengali news channel ABP Ananda..

Roy hailed the Commission for taking positive steps in the elections and described its actions as one of the factors responsible for the political change in Bengal in 2011, when the Left Front was ousted from power.

Roy, who had hinted at the presence of dynasty politics in the Trinamool, reiterated that he would not believe in dynasty rule.

However, taking a swipe at Roy, another suspended Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh on Thursday said Roy's involvement in Narada sting case, Saradha ponzi scam and Alchemist chit fund scam should be probed.

"The investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam was motivated and influenced. I submitted a petition to Central Bureau of Investigation seeking joint interrogation with Roy," said Ghosh, an accused in the scam.

In response, Roy, describing Ghosh as a frustrated person, said: "Whenever the CBI and the ED call me, I will appear and cooperate with them."

--IANS

bdc/ssp/vd