Kolkata: Posters targeting Trinamool rebel MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay who crossed over to NCPI surfaced across north Kolkata on Monday, carrying the names of BJP minister Tapas Roy and Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh in the credit line. While both denied any involvement, they said they agreed with the message carried on the posters.The posters appeared near Taltala bus stand, Bangabasi College, Creek Row and the Railway Cooperative Bank, all within the Kolkata North Lok Sabha constituency represented by Bandyopadhyay.The appearance of Roy and Ghosh’s names has sparked speculation, as both have been vocal critics of Bandyopadhyay and have publicly attacked him on several occasions.Distancing himself from the posters, Mamata Banerjee-loyalist TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh said, “I am not this Kunal Ghosh. And whether this Tapas Roy is that Tapas Roy, I cannot say. Tapasda belongs to another party… why will we do a poster together? However, I do not disagree with the statements made in the poster. I know that Tapasda also believes in the statement. Why will we make posters about the things we are vocal about?”Denying his role, Roy said, “My name should have had ‘Minister’ written before it if I was involved. I am not that Tapas. During the assembly election, an independent candidate with the same name —Tapas Roy— stood in order to create confusion. I suspect it’s their work. Everyone in north Kolkata knows my political relationship with Sudip.”Following TMC’s poll setback, Bandyopadhyay joined the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI) with 19 rebel MPs and extended support to the NDA. He was later appointed the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, while his wife and Chowringhee MLA Nayna Bandyopadhyay has remained with TMC.
