Mukul Roy Passes Away Leaving Lasting Mark on West Bengal Politics
Senior Trinamool Congress leader and former Union Minister Mukul Roy died in Kolkata after prolonged illness remembered as a key strategist who helped build TMC and shaped major political shifts in Bengal.
- Mukul Roy death shocks Bengal politics.
- Key role in building Trinamool Congress.
- Veteran strategist shaped major political shifts.
Veteran West Bengal politician Mukul Roy passed away in the early hours of February twenty three following a cardiac arrest. He breathed his last at around one thirty am at Apollo Hospital in Salt Lake, Kolkata, after battling health issues for nearly two years. His son Subhranshu Roy confirmed the news and said the final rites would be held on Monday.
Mukul Roy’s health had steadily declined over the past two years. Family members said he had lost the ability to recognise people and was surviving only on liquid food. His death has sent a wave of grief across political circles in West Bengal, with Trinamool Congress leaders expressing deep shock.
A trusted aide of Mamata Banerjee, Mukul Roy was one of the founding members of the Trinamool Congress. Known for his sharp political instincts, he earned the reputation of being the strategist behind many of the party’s early successes and was often described as one of the most powerful leaders in TMC after Mamata Banerjee.
Roy played a crucial role in building the party from the ground up after its formation in 1998. His organisational skills were instrumental in TMC’s historic rise to power in 2011, ending decades of Left rule in the state. Following this victory, he served as a Union Minister in the UPA two government and later held the Railway Minister portfolio.
In a dramatic political move, Roy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He was credited with strengthening the BJP in Bengal and helping it emerge as the main opposition by winning 18 of the state’s 42 parliamentary seats in 2019. He also won the Krishnanagar seat in the 2021 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket before eventually returning to the Trinamool Congress as his influence within the BJP declined.
Mukul Roy’s death marks the end of an era in Bengal politics. From being a loyal organiser to a powerful strategist across parties, his political journey left a lasting impact on the state’s modern political landscape.
