Mamata Banerjee calls up Mukul Roy, both remain mum on issues discussed

Kolkata: Amid reports of Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy forming a new political outfit, party chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called up the leader but it was not immediately known what transpired during the talks.

The conversation reportedly lasted for a few minutes and both the leaders remained tight-lipped about the issues that were discussed.

Roy was left in the cold by Banerjee in an organisational shake-up that took place on Saturday. Asked whether Banerjee had called him up, Roy evaded a categorical reply and said, "If the boss of your office calls up, you have to talk to him. There are several matters that your boss might want to talk about."

Asked by reporters whether he was planning to leave the party, Roy said, "There is no reality in it. Only time will say what happens next."

Earlier in the day, he had refused to comment on speculations about his leaving the party and forming another outfit and rubbished reports about it.

"I do not want to comment on matters which are not related to reality," the TMC MP, who is under the CBI scanner for his alleged involvement in the Saradha scam, said when asked about reports of him splitting the Trinamool Congress and forming a new party.

Roy met hundreds of TMC supporters who came to meet him during the day at Nizam Palace, a hostel of central government in the city, where he is now staying. Till a few months ago, his main office was at Trinamool Bhawan.

Amidst slogans like 'Mukul Roy Zindabad' and 'We are with you Mukulda', Roy came out of his flat at least thrice and asked his supporters to desist from sloganeering as it was the premises of a central government hostel.

"I am very happy that I enjoy the blessings of many people. I am really delighted," he said.

Roy, known as the number two in the party and one of the most trusted lieutenants of Banerjee, on Saturday avoided a high-level party meeting convened at her residence to discuss the party's preparedness for the coming civic polls.

Banerjee had affected a major reshuffle in the party in which her close associate Subrata Bakshi was made its new All India Additional General Secretary and former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi was elevated to the vice-president's post.