The myriad political battles in West Bengal cease to exist even after a tumultuous election trail, followed by a bloody post-poll saga. Trying to rile up the BJP brass, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has now got BJP turned TMC leader Mukul Roy, elected as a member to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Roy, who ditched the BJP ship after the election results were elected unopposed. The PAC works as the audit watchdog of the House and murmurs have been increasing suggesting that Roy may be appointed PAC chairman as well.
However, the BJP led by its heavyweight leader and leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari has been demanding the disqualification of Roy, citing he is still officially an MLA of BJP, and that the anti-defection rule needs to be applied to him. Roy, officially a BJP MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar did not resign from the Assembly even after switching camps.
“Our objection is on the acceptance of the nomination form of Mukul Roy during the scrutiny process. The above-mentioned Rule 302 clearly says that 20 members of the Public Accounts Committee shall be elected from among its members on the principle of proportional representation.” said BJP in its protest against Roy’s nomination.
According to an Indian Express report, TMC had nominated 13 MLAs for the 20-member PAC, but at the last moment, Mukul Roy submitted his name. The BJP, on the other hand, had nominated six members – noted economist Ashok Lahiri, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Bankim Ghosh, Ambika Roy, Vivekananda Baury, Nikhil Ranjan Dey and Tarun Maiti.
After facing backlash, Mamata Banerjee came out in the open and publicly backed Roy’s nomination, saying that while Roy “is a member of the BJP”, anyone can file nomination for PAC membership, and it is the Speaker who has the authority to take the final call. “Where is the problem? He has got the support of Binay Tamang’s party and we will also support him. It will be the decision of the Speaker… If there is voting, we will win,”
West Bengal is a curious case study when it comes to anti-defection law. The law has not been enforced in spirit, despite the politically charged state witnessing multiple crossovers every few months.
As reported by TFI earlier this month, when asked about the status of anti-defection law, Governor Jagdeep Dhankar had remarked that it was very much in force in the state. “Being the Constitutional head of the state, let me make it clear that anti-defection law is applicable in full force in Bengal. It is as much applicable here as in other parts of the country,”
The anti-defection law calls for disqualification of an MLA or MP on two principal grounds: voluntarily giving up the membership of the party and defying the whip of the party during a vote on a motion on the floor of the house. Joining another party is considered as giving up the membership of the original party on which he/she was elected as an MLA or an MP.
According to Times Now, it is learnt that the BJP is also willing to go to court against Mukul Roy. The freshly inducted TMC leader is now on a sticky wicket, and his case is weak at best. If the Speaker succumbs to pressure from Mamata and does not disqualify Mukul Roy, the BJP seems prepared to wage a legal battle against Roy and the TMC.
Meanwhile, Mamata’s sole aim is to get back at Suvendu Adhikari who humbled her at the Nandigram seat and despite the mass exodus of turncoats has stood his place in BJP firmly and is ferociously battling her reign of terror.
