Mon Feb 23 04:19:18 UTC 2026: ### Mukul Roy, Veteran Trinamool Congress Leader, Dies at 71
The Story:
Mukul Roy, a founding member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a significant figure in West Bengal politics, passed away on February 23, 2026, at the age of 71. He died in a private hospital in Kolkata due to a massive cardiac arrest. Roy, known as the “Chanakya of West Bengal politics,” was a key strategist for the TMC and a close aide to Mamata Banerjee before experiencing a period of political turbulence marked by defections and investigations.
Key Points:
- Mukul Roy was a founding member of the Trinamool Congress.
- He served as Railway Minister from March to September 2012.
- He left TMC and joined BJP in November 2017, playing a crucial role in BJP’s performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
- He won the 2021 Assembly polls on a BJP ticket but later returned to the Trinamool Congress.
- His defection led to legal challenges regarding his status as an MLA, which reached the Supreme Court.
- He was away from active politics in recent years due to health issues.
Key Takeaways:
- Mukul Roy’s death marks the end of an era for a prominent figure in West Bengal politics.
- His political journey, marked by party defections, highlights the fluidity and complexities of Indian political alliances.
- His contributions to both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP demonstrate his strategic importance across party lines.
First Piper 