Mukul Roy was once the second in command in the ruling Trinamool Congress.
BJP leader Mukul Roy was on Saturday appointed as the convener of the panchayat committee formed by the West Bengal BJP leadership to look into the upcoming rural polls in the state.
BJP sources said the party wants to utilise the organisational skills of Roy in the polls and being the convenor of the panel, he will call the shots.
"Mukul Roy was appointed as the convenor of the party's pancahayat committee. (Former MLA) Shamik Bhattacharya was appointed as the co-convenor," state BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said after a panchayat conference of the party.
Mr Roy, once the second in command in the ruling Trinamool Congress, had switched over to the BJP last year.
"From selecting candidates to choosing the mode of campaign, everything will be decided by Roy. We hope to put up candidates in all the panchayat seats across the state," a senior BJP leader said.
The BJP, which is aspiring to become the main opposition in the state, held a panchayat conference in the city to look into various organisational aspects of the party.
The rural polls would be held later this year, the dates of which is yet to be announced.
The party has the asked the leadership in the districts to prepare the list of probable candidates and send it to the state leadership.