There is a tacit understanding between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is becoming more pronounced with the support of the latter to key bills of the BJP-led government at the Centre, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist CPI (M) and Leader of the Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said.

Speaking to The Hindu on the recent political developments, Dr Mishra said that the ongoing investigation by the CBI into the multi-crore Saradha scam is emerging as a “television serial where people are left guessing what will come next but the script has stopped moving forward.”

“The requirement of the BJP now is to pass crucial bills in Rajya Sabha and the support of the TMC is required. Her (Ms Banerjee) need is to scuttle the CBI probe ... end the hostility and come to an understanding,” Dr Mishra said

The comments by the Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) comes at a time when there are no fresh developments in the ongoing probe in the multi-crore Saradha scam, and the TMC leaders arrested in the scam are routinely getting bail.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, one of the most vocal critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi met him earlier this month. She has also welcomed Mr Modi in the State, which is a clear departure from her earlier position, when she was conspicuously distancing herself from the Prime Minister and his party. Dr Mishra emphasised that the BJP and the TMC have always had a “symbiotic relationship.”

Explaining the developments surrounding the differences between Mukul Roy and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee, the CPI(M) leader said that the tussle provided an opportunity to Ms Banerjee to reach out to her former ally, the BJP.

Mukul’s case provided Mamata an opportunity

“Former general secretary of TMC Mukul Roy was trying to create divisions within the party but the timing was wrong. Perhaps he could have resorted to divisive politics targeting Ms Banerjee closer to the Assembly election at the end of the year. But he chose the wrong time and TMC seized the opportunity... the lady (Ms Banerjee) felt that it is a better idea to directly speak to the BJP, sidelining Mukul,” he said.

Dr Mishra feels that the support to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 in Rajya Sabha by the TMC is the product of this ‘realization’ that the TMC can talk to the BJP ‘directly.’

“Why will he (Mr Roy) take advantage and put me in trouble. I will sideline him and deal directly with the BJP directly, she (Ms Banerjee) thought,” Dr Mishra said referring to the developments.