Kolkata: TMC MP Shatabdi Roy was appointed as TMC’s Bengal unit Vice President on Sunday. She “welcomed the decision” and that she would work hard to ensure the defeat of the BJP in the forthcoming election. “If you take up the matter concerning the party with the top leadership, it is addressed. This development proves that,” she was quoted.

On Friday the Trinamool battled to persuade Ms Roy who retained Birbhum in the 2019 election despite colleagues losing neighbouring seats to the BJP by huge margins to remain in the party. Polls to the 294-member Assembly are due in April-May, and the BJP has set itself a target of 200 seats. The party surprised the Trinamool in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, winning 18 of 42 seats.

Late Friday – after a meeting with fellow MP Abhishek Banerjee (who is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew) she cancelled her Delhi trip, and said: “I am with the Trinamool. My problems with the party have been addressed by Abhishek Banerjee. All my abhimaan (pride) has been placated. I came to politics for Mamata Banerjee. I am with her.”