Kolkata: Veteran politician Mukul Roy, who previously held the position of India’s Railway Minister and was long considered the second-most influential figure in the Trinamool Congress, has passed away at age 71 after suffering a heart attack.
Roy had been under care in a private Kolkata hospital, where he succumbed around 1:30 a.m.
According to his son Subhrangshu Roy, “He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital. It was around 1.30 am last night he had a massive heart attack which he could not survive in spite of the efforts by doctors.”
Dubbed the ‘Chanakya of Bengal politics,’ Roy had endured prolonged health challenges, such as kidney issues, necessitating repeated hospital stays. He died late Sunday night during one such admission.
A co-founder of the Trinamool Congress, Roy was a key confidant of Mamata Banerjee and experienced significant fluctuations in both his personal life and political trajectory.
He also functioned as Minister of State in the Shipping Ministry before advancing to the Railways portfolio under the second United Progressive Alliance administration. Earlier in his career, prior to Trinamool’s inception, he belonged to the Indian National Congress.
From 2017 to 2021, Roy departed Trinamool Congress to align with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
This defection preceded the 2021 state assembly elections, stemming from estrangement with newer party officials. Within the BJP, he took on a crucial role, running for and securing the Krishnanagar North assembly seat on a BJP ticket, thus becoming a legislator.
He later rejoined Trinamool Congress but retained his MLA status without stepping down. For an extended period, health concerns kept him sidelined from active involvement in politics.
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