New Delhi: Senior political figure Mukul Roy, who once headed India’s Railway Ministry and played a pivotal role in West Bengal’s political landscape, died in the early hours of Monday following a prolonged illness. He was 71.
Family members confirmed that Roy suffered a cardiac arrest at a private hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment. His son, Subhranshu Roy, said the veteran leader had remained in a coma for several days before his passing at around 1:30 am.
A key architect in the formation of the All India Trinamool Congress in 1998, Roy was among the closest associates of the party’s leadership during its formative years. Over time, however, political differences led him to part ways with the party. In 2017, he crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party, marking a significant shift in West Bengal’s political equations.
In the 2021 state elections, Roy secured victory from the Krishnanagar Uttar constituency as a BJP candidate. Shortly after the polls, he returned to the Trinamool Congress, underscoring the fluid political dynamics in the state.
At the national level, Roy held the portfolio of Railway Minister in 2011 during the United Progressive Alliance’s second term, when the Trinamool Congress was an ally in the central government. He also represented West Bengal twice in the Rajya Sabha, contributing to debates and legislative work in Parliament over the years.
Known for his organizational skills and backroom strategy, Roy remained an influential, if sometimes controversial, presence in Bengal politics for over two decades. Leaders across party lines are expected to pay tribute to the seasoned politician, whose career mirrored many of the dramatic shifts in the state’s political narrative.
