BJP legislator and former cabinet minister AL Hek said today that his trip to Kolkata had nothing to do with a potential defection to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) but was for “personal reasons”.
It had been reported that Hek and leader of the opposition Dr Mukul Sangma of the Congress were, coincidentally, both in the West Bengal capital yesterday apparently to explore the idea of joining the TMC.
Both are reportedly miffed with their current parties, Hek for being dumped from the cabinet after he mounted a challenge to his state party leader and Dr Sangma for apparently losing influence in the party to Shillong MP Vincent Pala.
Hek also denied reports that he and Dr Sangma had met in Kolkata. The two used to be party colleagues when Hek was in the Congress.
A national newspaper had reported that Dr Sangma met TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata yesterday.
Reacting to the report, Pala said that he does not know why Dr Sangma visited Kolkata and who he met there.
When asked what would be the fate of the party if Dr Sangma defected, Pala said that it is a normal process and leaders come and go.
