Mukul Roy, former Union Railway Minister, passes away after prolonged illness

Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy passed away in the early hours of Monday (February 23, 2026) morning. He changed into 71 years extinct.

He changed into admitted to a deepest health center in Kolkata and changed into suffering from several ailments. Mukul Roy’s son Subhranhshu Roy acknowledged that his father suffered a huge cardiac arrest and passed away at 1:30 a.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death on X, announcing, “Pained by the passing of former Union Minister Shri Mukul Roy Ji. He’ll be remembered for his political ride and efforts to back society. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.”

One amongst founding contributors of Trinamool Congress, Mukul Roy changed into realistic Chanakya of West Bengal politics. Sooner than the upward thrust of Abhishek Banerjee in the Trinamool Congress, Mr. Roy changed into broadly quantity two in the celebration.

A trusted aide of Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, Mr. Roy changed into key to the celebration’s organisation and served as a link between celebration and the govt. It changed into below Mr. Roy’s affect that several leaders from Congress joined Trinamool Congress. Mukul Roy, had also served as Railway Minister from March to September 2012.

Hailing from Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas, Mr. Roy started his political occupation with the Congress and determined to residing up Trinamool Congress with Mamata Banerjee in 1998. It changed into Mr. Roy who submitted the first rate image of the celebration with the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Variations between Mukul Roy and the Trinamool started surfacing in 2016 particularly after he changed into summoned by central agencies all over investigation in the chit fund scams of the Suppose. In November 2017, he joined BJP and changed into critical to the BJP electoral efficiency in 2019 Lok Sabha polls when the celebration won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.

After switching facets from Trinamool to BJP, Mr. Roy contested the 2021 Meeting polls on a BJP rate from Krishnanagar North constituency. He won and changed into elected as an MLA.

Later, that one year he returned to the Trinamool Congress. Since, he did not resign as an MLA after his defection he remained a BJP MLA on the paper. Mr. Roy changed into also made the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Chief of Opposition in the Suppose Meeting Suvendu Adhikari approached the Calcutta High Court docket for disqualifying him as an MLA. Though the Calcutta High Court docket dominated in favour of disqualification, the Supreme Court docket gave an intervening time address it up that possibility.

For the past few years he changed into faraway from active politics, on account of his failing effectively being. Mr. Roy modified the politics of West Bengal with out end by encouraging defections of elected public representatives and extending the celebration’s affect on the Suppose administration.

Mamata expresses condolences

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed distress over the loss of life of historical leader Mukul Roy, describing him as a long-time political colleague and co-fighter in many struggles.

In a Bengali post on X, Ms. Banerjee acknowledged she changed into “shocked and saddened” by Mr. Roy’s passing and recalled that he had worked tirelessly for the Trinamool Congress since its founding, earning acceptance all over all stages of the celebration.

“I am deeply shocked and grieved by the sudden news of the demise of veteran politician Mukul Roy. He was my long-time political colleague and a comrade-in-arms in many political struggles. The news of his departure has left me heartbroken,” she acknowledged.

(With inputs from PTI)