A founding member and key strategist of the Trinamool Congress, Mukul Roy played a crucial role in transforming the party into West Bengal’s dominant political force. His organisational brilliance earned him the reputation of being Bengal’s “Chanakya.”
BY PC Bureau
Kolkata, February 23, 2026: Mukul Roy, one of West Bengal’s most influential political strategists and a former Union Railway Minister, passed away in the early hours of Monday at a private hospital in Kolkata. He was 71. According to his family, Roy suffered a massive heart attack around 1:30 am while undergoing treatment for multiple health complications.
Roy, often described as the “Chanakya of Bengal politics” for his organisational acumen, had been battling prolonged illness, including kidney-related ailments, and had largely withdrawn from active political life in recent years.
A founding member of the Trinamool Congress, Roy played a pivotal role in building the party alongside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. For years, he was regarded as Banerjee’s closest confidant and the party’s principal strategist, instrumental in expanding its grassroots network across West Bengal.
Former Railway Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Roy passed away in Kolkata. He was 71.
Roy, a founding member of the All India Trinamool Congress (#TMC) and once considered the party’s number two leader, began his political journey in the Indian National Congress before helping… pic.twitter.com/Tg11feaDjN
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) February 23, 2026
Roy also served in the Union government during the UPA-II tenure, holding positions as Minister of State in the Shipping Ministry and later in the Ministry of Railways. Before joining the Trinamool Congress, he was associated with the Indian National Congress.
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In a significant political shift, Roy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017 amid differences within the Trinamool Congress leadership. He emerged as a key figure in strengthening the BJP’s presence in West Bengal and won the 2021 Assembly election from the Krishnanagar North constituency on a BJP ticket. However, he later returned to the Trinamool Congress, marking another dramatic turn in his political journey.
Despite his return, Roy’s deteriorating health kept him away from active politics. His death marks the end of a career that spanned decades and shaped the political landscape of West Bengal. Known for his strategic brilliance and deep organisational insight, Roy leaves behind a legacy as one of the state’s most formidable political minds.
