Kolkata: Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy on Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claiming she has failed to maintain law and order in the state.
Roy maintained that even though a lawless situation prevailed in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party would not work towards dismissing the government or seek President's Rule as Banerjee would seek sympathy votes if Article 356 is imposed.
"She is saying that some police officers are not following orders. If she can't maintain law and order then she should immediately resign from her post as Chief Minister and Home Minister," Roy told reporters here.
His comments come in the backdrop of Banerjee's claim that there were a few police officers in the state who were not taking action against people trying to incite violence.
Roy, who was once the number two in the Trinamool Congress, switched over to the saffron camp in 2017, and is considered as a key strategist behind the stupendous performance of the BJP in the eastern state.
Out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, the BJP won 18, only four less than TMC.
Claiming that goons from across the Indo-Bangla border were sneaking into the state and letting loose a reign of terror on BJP workers, Roy said instead of following the policy of "anhilation of BJP workers", Banerjee should resign.
"Since the day of (Lok Sabha) poll results nearly 10 of our party workers have been killed. Is is not a failure of law and order? There have been elections across the country but nowhere we have seen such violence. She being the home minister is solely responsible for these killings," Roy said.
The Trinamool Congress on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging that the MHA advisory to the West Bengal government is a "deep-rooted conspiracy" by the BJP and an "evil ploy to grab power" in opposition-ruled states.
Blaming "BJP goons" for violence and chaos across the state, the TMC leadership alleged that as the MHA and the saffron party are being headed by the same person, it is "quite obvious" that "whatever the BJP desires, the MHA is implementing with closed eyes, throwing all constitutional propriety to the wind".
Roy termed the TMC allegations "baseless" and wondered whether the same logic would apply in Bengal as the chief minister, home minister and ruling party chief are the same person.
"The chief minister, home minister and party supremo are the same person (in Bengal). So, does that mean all the decisions taken by the state government are politically motivated?" Roy said.
The BJP leadership on Monday took out black day protest rally in central Kolkata under the leadership of party's women wing Mahila Morcha president and MP Locket Chatterjee, in protest against the killings in Sandeshkali area in Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency.
The BJP would also take out Maha Dhikkar Michhil from Raja Subodh Mullick Square to Lalbazar on June 12.
Earlier in the day, West Bengal governor K N Tripathi, who is presently in New Delhi, said he has apprised Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about the prevailing situation in the state, where post-poll violence has claimed nearly a dozen lives so far.
Tripathi met the prime minister and the home minister for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections.
Read:| Wife of killed BJP worker alleges police negligence, demands justice
